TORONTO — For Anthony Volpe, a New Yorker in the Yankees clubhouse, Saturday night felt a bit unique compared to his teammates.
The shortstop expressed that he always had faith the Knicks would eventually win a championship, though he admitted that this belief might stem from a “paranoid childhood fandom.”
That faith turned into reality on Saturday when he watched Game 5 of the NBA Finals with his mother and sister—first at a restaurant and then back at the team hotel—as the Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought by defeating the Spurs.
“I can’t believe it,” Volpe remarked on Sunday morning at the Rogers Center.
Although Volpe wasn’t even born the last time the Knicks reached the NBA Finals, he had been enjoying games at Madison Square Garden in recent years, witnessing the team rise from rock bottom to becoming serious championship contenders.
During this playoff run, his teammates enjoyed poking fun at his status as a Knicks fan.
“I think I’ve probably been a fun mascot for the team, so everyone enjoys that,” Volpe said. “But I’ve just been soaking it all in.”
Meanwhile, Aaron Boone said he tuned into Game 5 on Saturday night but somehow dozed off with six minutes left. So, on Sunday morning, he caught up by watching SportsCenter and all the videos of the celebration.
“Just looking at that team and how they came together to perform in the postseason, that team will be remembered,” Boone stated. “I’m really excited for them and for so many people in New York; it’s been a long time coming.”
Like Volpe, Boone has gotten to know several Knicks players over recent years, including Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, who threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium before a 2024 game.
Although Boone thinks it’s too early in the season to completely imagine what it would mean for the Yankees to follow in the Knicks’ footsteps in the playoffs, he did draw some insights from their journey.
“This is a great example of a team that faced more adversity and had more questions than others,” the coach said. “Their mental toughness and championship grit ultimately led them to this triumph this year.
“It’s inspiring to watch because they’ve all faced different challenges and setbacks, but they’ve persevered. It’s not easy. That’s why they are champions.”
