Tens of thousands of New York Knicks fans flooded Manhattan on Thursday for a heavily guarded victory parade, turning the city into a sea of blue and orange to mark their basketball team's NBA Finals victory. Chants of "Let's go Knicks" rippled through the dense crowd, made up of some who paid hundreds of dollars for line sitters to wait overnight and save them a space to watch the procession. "The Knicks unite the city unlike any other team. We were starved for so long," said Anthony Martorelli, a 29-year-old retail worker. New York erupted in jubilant scenes Saturday when the Knicks broke a 53-year drought to defeat the San Antonio Spurs away in Texas. Thursday's parade, organized by Mayor Zohran Mamdani's team, drew a security detail of 10,000 New York police officers -- the force's largest ever deployment for a planned event. Public viewing pens to see the parade were already full three hours before the start, the NYPD said, prompting some late arrivals to scramble for alternatives.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrates during the parade, June 18, 2026. © Eduardo Munoz, Reuters
In one case, dozens of fans scaled a city dump truck, deployed as a security measure, to catch a glimpse of the passing players and trophy. A couple wearing their wedding day finery, a tuxedo and bow tie for the man and a cream dress for the woman, also wove through the crowds. A friend said they would tie the knot later. "I think there's been so much bad around America in the last couple of years, and it's really nice to see this," said Martorelli. He spoke as cheers echoed off the skyscrapers dotted around the World Trade Center, where National Guard troops watched over the area. IT teacher Jeff Gartner, 42, described the parade as "chaos" but said he brought his son along to witness a historic moment. "This is probably a memory he'll live with for the rest of his days," Gartner said.
