Former Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari had a special reason to celebrate the New York Knicks winning the 2026 NBA Championship. The Knicks closed their 2026 campaign with a dominant Game 5 win against the San Antonio Spurs.
Already 3-1 up in the series, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks looked determined to end their trophy drought of over 50 years in San Antonio. Brunson dropped 45 points on 14 of 27 shooting to win the game 94-90.
Calipari took to X to congratulate the Knicks and marvel at the heroics showcased by the New York franchise. He praised Brunson for proving his naysayers wrong. For months, pundits and fans claimed that he lacks the physical frame to dominate the NBA Finals.
Brunson ended up winning the Finals MVP, proving that he can go toe-to-toe against anyone in the league. Karl-Anthony Towns was another player who played a huge role in the Knicks’ first championship win since 1973.
Interestingly, Calipari coached Towns during his time with the Kentucky Wildcats. The former Kentucky head coach heaped praise on Towns for recording 50/40/90 in the 2026 playoffs.
“How bout them Knicks!! Jalen proves IF YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH YOU ARE BIG ENOUGH. KAT 50/40/90 the best numbers by a big guy EVER! And this was a true team where EVERYONE starred at one point or another,” he wrote.
“Thank you James Dolan! For bringing my brothers (Leon and Wes) to NY and letting them do what they do… INCLUDING Kenny Payne!! You all have practiced ‘family’ and brought the city together as one. No doubt that Leon’s, Wes’s and Karls moms had a hand in this happening!!” he added.
Calipari concluded by stating that the Knicks deserved to win the championship and that they earned it.
Karl-Anthony Towns Averaged a Double-Double
KAT started his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015. He only made it to the Western Conference Finals with the Wolves before being traded to New York. In two seasons with the Knicks, KAT has made it to the Eastern Conference finals once and has won a championship.
In the 2026 playoffs, KAT averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 19 games. He shot over 55% from the field, 45.6% from the 3-point line, and 90.9% from the charity stripe.
Even though his shooting percentage slightly dipped in the Finals, KAT still averaged 13.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in five games.
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