NBA FINALS: KNICKS VS. SPURS

June 13, 2026

Julian Champagnie

San Antonio Spurs

Game 5: Postgame

New York Knicks 94, San Antonio Spurs 90

Q. What are you going to remember about this team?

JULIAN CHAMPAGNIE: That we did the unthinkable, honestly. I don’t think anybody expected us to be in the championship. I think everybody was like, ‘Oh, maybe Play-In, maybe Playoffs.’ So, I think we kind of exceeded expectations. Obviously, we didn’t exceed our expectations. We wanted a championship. That’s kind of what we wanted. This is a special group.

Q. What was Mitch’s message after this one?

JULIAN CHAMPAGNIE: Keep our heads and he’s proud of us. Wouldn’t want it no other way. Wouldn’t want to coach 18 other guys.

Q. What would you say made this team so special?

JULIAN CHAMPAGNIE: We’re the youngest team to do it. No experience, that’s what everybody says. Never played in the Playoffs, never played in the championship. No real vets or x, y and z, whatever people want to say. But we still got there. We found a way. If there was a will there was a way for us, and we figured it out.

Q. On the flip side of that you were facing a team that’s got a lot of experience and been through the wars. How tough was it to overcome that with what they had?

JULIAN CHAMPAGNIE: That was a good team. I mean, we lost. Super tough. That’s a credit to them. They’ve got a great superstar in Jalen Brunson that gets the job done. OG Anunoby. Guys who get it done. Credit to them. We’ll be back again next year.