Outside of Madison Square Garden, the enthusiasm and excitement coming from fans is infectious. The New York Knicks faithful are passionately cheering on their team as they compete for their first NBA title since 1973. Niko Knickerbocker, a familiar face that stands out more than any other, has been with them for the journey.
“Niko Knickerbocker is you. Niko Knickerbocker is Jalen Brunson. Niko Knickerbocker is every New Yorker through and through,” Knickerbocker told amNewYork in an exclusive interview. “Niko Knickerbocker is someone who’s loving, energetic, kind, enthusiastic, and a diehard superfan who loves all things New York.”
Knickerbocker, a Queens native, is a character modeled after a New Yorker from the 1940s, wearing a three-piece suit with Knickers, which are high socks with pants that strap around under the knee. He designed the outfit himself after researching why the Knicks never had an official mascot and what a Knickerbocker is.
“How is it possible that the Knicks don’t have a mascot? I sent it to my buddies and was like, ” Wouldn’t it be crazy to do this and create one for our team that we love? They chuckled, but didn’t take it seriously,” he said. “I shut my mouth and decided that I was going to shut up and do it. Then I got to work. I looked into what exactly a Knickerbocker was and why the Knicks didn’t have a mascot. I pulled up some images of Knickerbockers and saw these old black-and-white photos of guys wearing newsboy hats and three-piece suits. I sketched a caricature, and I’ve been drawing this face since the fourth grade, and it’s me. It’s literally a caricature of myself and I threw a hat on it.”
To some, he is known as the team’s unofficial mascot because of his personality and charisma, which bring a lot to every event or watch party. The Knicks have never had an official mascot, so Knickerbocker does his own thing to connect with fans of all ages, especially the youth, who might be newcomers to the team.
“Niko bridges the gap between Baby Boomers and Generation Alpha. He’s bridging the gap between all that’s in between that,” Knickerbocker added.
“Interacting with the younger fans is great. They have tons of energy and enthusiasm. You see them out there. They’re going crazy and bringing the energy. I’m bringing the energy, and it’s showing the younger generation what a Knickerbocker is. It’s funny because I saw a post trying to explain the team name, and people who have seen Niko are tagging Niko on it.”
From his appearances at the Knicks outdoor watch parties, Knickerbocker has become a recognizable figure that fans remember from previous encounters. More so, they can give him a shoutout by yelling “Niko.”
“When you see familiar faces, and you dap them up, it’s like a rush of excitement. My heart is racing, and it’s a genuine moment of pure joy,” he continued. “One of my favorite memories and experiences in life was crowd surfing right in front of Madison Square Garden right after a playoff win.”
Aside from the watch parties and events, Knickerbocker strives to put a smile on everybody’s face because he considers himself a people person outside of his job in mental health, which he has been doing for the last 15 years. He’s also a family man, a father of four children, and comes from a large family.
“I love people. I love helping people. I love putting a smile on people’s faces. I’m not just doing it for some of the reasons other people do it,” Knickerbocker said. “People try to offer me money all the time, and I refuse. I don’t want that money. Whatever deals come my way will happen organically. I don’t want to take money from fans, and I want to bring joy to the fans.”
“When I’m around kids, I ask them if they’re staying out of trouble and trying hard in school. I try to provide whatever guidance I can during a brief encounter. I want to spread love and positivity.”
Furthermore, Knickerbocker wants to be more involved in the local community in New York. For him, that means working with hospitals and schools, and visiting local parks to help clean up trash.
“I want to include something that is very important to me because I want it to be a part of our mission. Be able to work with the community,” Knickerbocker added.
“I want to get into hospitals and cheer up kids who are sick. I want to visit kids and brighten their day. I want to work with schools and clean up parks. I want to do positive things throughout all of the communities in New York to help make New York a better place.”
The passion for doing all these charitable acts comes from Knickerbocker’s love for connecting with people to make them happy as they battle through many of the obstacles and challenges that come with life.
“I love people. I want them to be happy. This life that we live is so challenging and often filled with hurdles and negativity. I almost want to combat that, and I want to make it my mission to bring love and joy into people’s lives. If I can touch one person each day in a positive way, I’ve done by deed,” he continued.
During Knickerbocker’s first appearance at MSG, he encountered a Knicks season ticket holder and his son in Penn Station, creating a lasting memory.
“This father wanted me to take a photo with his son. It was his son’s birthday. We took pictures, and his son’s face was so bright-eyed, and his smile was bigger than Niko’s. [The father] said to me that I’ve taken my son to plenty of games and I’ve never seen his face like that,” Knickerbocker said. “That’s the whole purpose. Bringing something to the team that we never had. To spark those intangible moments that are going to be core memories for kids.”
Going forward, Knickerbocker plans to increase his exposure by collaborating with other brands and establishments, such as American Whiskey. And if the Knicks weren’t in the position to compete for an NBA championship, he’d still spend his time rooting for the team he’s been a fan of since John Starks dunked over Michael Jordan during the 1993 playoffs.
“I’d still be rooting for my team. I’d be right here doing the same thing,” Knickerbocker concluded.
