New York, known as the city that never sleeps, has yet to rest from its Knicks championship. Walking down 7th Ave, or even a random street in Queens, a Knicks jersey or championship shirt is proudly worn, with citizens exchanging the simple words, “Let’s go Knicks.” The unity has brought the city closer and allowed the players who delivered New York its first championship since the Giants in 2012 to connect with fans.
The festivities have continued throughout the city with appearances everywhere, appearing on the news and at events like Fanatics Fest — something that brings fans, collectors, and athletes together. Most of the 2025-26 championship squad is set to be in attendance at this weekend’s Fanatics Fest, a four-day convention celebrating sports and the trading card hobby at the Javits Center. On Thursday, however, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart took their podcast, “The Roommates Show,” to center stage in front of thousands of Knicks fans in attendance, including special guest Aaron Judge.
The show kicked off with Brunson and Hart welcoming the Knicks fans in attendance, who greeted them with huge cheers and “MVP” chants for Brunson, who recently won multiple ESPYS on Wednesday night, taking home Best Male Athlete, NBA Player of the Year, and Best Championship Performance.
However, the show wasn’t just about the Knicks celebrating their championship. It brought to light the importance of playing in a city like New York and what it means to be a leader. To foster a stronger connection, the two Knicks stars welcomed Yankees captain Aaron Judge, who drew louder applause from the audience than the two hosts, and received “MVP” chants.
Instantly, Judge was asked by Hart about his thoughts on X, where fans speak their thoughts, no matter how brutal they may be.
“Yankees fans want to see the Yankees be great,” said Judge. “They speak the truth, and sometimes the truth is brutal.”
The Yankees live a luxurious life, holding the most championships in all of professional sports with 27, but recently have been in a “drought,” last claiming a World Series in 2009. However, Judge and the Bronx Bombers were close to greatness in 2024, pushing to the World Series thanks to the powerful duo of Judge and Juan Soto, who tragically fell short of gold to the Dodgers in five games.
The attention turned back to Brunson, who was asked what it meant to be the Knicks’ captain, sharing a moment with Judge, who serves as the Yankees’ captain.
“It’s interesting,” said Brunson. “It’s something that I’ve always felt comfortable with. I’ve always felt like a leader in some way. It’s fun because you get to really see what type of teammates you have and how you can push them further every day.”
Brunson has single-handedly changed the trajectory of New York sports, bringing greatness to the powerhouse city, but in a way that definitely wasn’t expected. Whether he was deemed “not worthy” of serving as a No. 1 option or underqualified due to his height, the Knicks truly never felt like a considerable threat to the media. However, Brunson would prove he not only could lead New York to a championship, but also do so by being a leader, assisting in three of the biggest comebacks in NBA Finals history.
For the Knicks, the rest of their summer will be left to start their preparation for the 2026-27 season, with the NBA Summer League expected to wrap up this Sunday. However, for Judge and the Yankees, there’s still work to do, as they look to live up to the pressure the Knicks left with them back in June.
“That’s what motivated me every day. New York expects and demands greatness. You guys on the court motivate me because you do great things. It makes me want to be better.”
