New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are one of basketball's most storied franchises, playing in the world's most famous arena—Madison Square Garden—in the heart of Manhattan. Despite recent decades of struggles, the Knicks remain the NBA's most valuable team and command unparalleled media attention in the nation's largest market. When the Knicks are good, as they've been in recent seasons under Tom Thibodeau, the energy at MSG creates an atmosphere unlike anything else in basketball. The franchise's celebrity fanbase, including Spike Lee's famous courtside presence, adds to the unique spectacle of Knicks basketball. Playing for New York brings pressure that few other NBA cities can match, but it also offers a platform that can turn good players into global icons.

A founding member of the NBA in 1946, the Knicks won championships in 1970 and 1973 with a roster featuring Willis Reed, Walt 'Clyde' Frazier, and Bill Bradley that played unselfish, tough-minded basketball. Willis Reed's legendary emergence from the tunnel to play Game 7 of the 1970 Finals despite a severe leg injury remains one of sports' most iconic moments. The 1990s Patrick Ewing era brought the Knicks back to prominence, producing brutal playoff battles with the Bulls, Pacers, and Heat, though a championship remained elusive. The franchise endured two decades of dysfunction before recent success under Leon Rose's front office leadership and the emergence of stars like Jalen Brunson. Madison Square Garden has hosted countless iconic basketball moments, from Ewing's domination to Carmelo Anthony's 62-point game to Brunson's current brilliance.