Knicks Fan Culture

Original since 1946.

The New York Knicks, officially the New York Knickerbockers, are an American professional basketball team based in Manhattan, New York City. They compete in the NBA's Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference and play home games at Madison Square Garden, shared with the New York Rangers. Established in 1946 by Ned Irish, the Knicks were founding members of the BAA, which merged with the NBL in 1949 to form the NBA. They are one of two original NBA teams still in their original cities, alongside the Boston Celtics.

Quick Facts

Founded: 1946
Home arena: Madison Square Garden
Championships: 2 (1970, 1973) + 1 (2026)
First game result: Defeated Toronto Huskies 68–66

Lore & Background

Under first head coach Joe Lapchick, the Knicks reached three consecutive NBA Finals between 1951 and 1953, losing to the Rochester Royals in 1951 and to the Minneapolis Lakers in 1952 and 1953. After Lapchick resigned in 1956, the franchise entered a prolonged decline, reaching the playoffs once between 1956 and 1966. The Knicks returned to prominence under Red Holzman, winning their first NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. In the 1990s, led by Patrick Ewing and a defense-oriented style under Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy, they reached the NBA Finals in 1994 and 1999 but did not win. After signing Jalen Brunson in 2022 and acquiring Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns between 2023 and 2024, the Knicks won the NBA championship in 2026, ending a 53-year drought.

Reader's Guide

Madison Square Garden is the team's home arena. The Knicks' early years included training camp at the Nevele Country Club in the Catskills. Their first game was on November 1, 1946, against the Toronto Huskies at Maple Leaf Gardens, a 68–66 win. Many early home games were played at the 69th Regiment Armory due to the Garden's crowded schedule.

Did You Know?

The Knicks were named by Ned Irish after a hat vote among staff, drawing from Washington Irving's pseudonym 'Knickerbocker,' which came to represent New Yorkers generally.
The Knicks signed Nathaniel Clifton in 1950, becoming the first professional basketball team to sign an African American player.
Wataru Misaka, signed in 1947, was the first non-Caucasian player in the BAA.
The Knicks' first head coach was Neil Cohalan, serving as interim for the 1946–47 season while Joe Lapchick finished at St. John's University.