CJ McCollum revelead that he already saw the New York Knicks potentially winning it all this year.
Even before New York won it all and while they were in the midst of a competitive playoff encounter, CJ McCollum already saw the Knicks’ championship potential.
Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the Atlanta Hawks veteran dropped a huge revelation that only validated the Knicks’ historic title run.
“I wasn’t surprised they won. I actually told OG [Anunoby] at the free-throw line, ‘I think you guys can win the championship,'” McCollum shared.
“Looking at their roster, how they were playing, meshing, and their focus and intensity, I saw a team capable of making a deep run.”
Knicks complete historic NBA title run after 1st-round struggles vs. Hawks
Ending the past regular season with 53 wins and the No. 3 seed of the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks got matched up with CJ McCollum and the Atlanta Hawks in the first round.
Facing an up-and-coming Hawks squad, the Knicks instantly saw trouble in the opening round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. They fumbled their homecourt advantage by losing Game 2 at Madison Square Garden and ultimately saw McCollum drain a clutch jumper to put Atlanta up by a 2-1 lead in Game 3.
And the rest was simply history, as the Knicks have never lost any playoff game since Game 3 of the NBA Finals to complete one of the epic postseason runs of all time. They trampled the Hawks en route to a six-game victory, steamrolled both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers via sweeps and overwhelmed Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs to win their first championship since 1973.
Jalen Brunson was named the Finals MVP, as the superstar guard dropped staggering numbers of 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds despite nursing a wrist injury.
Karl-Anthony Towns served as the elite game-changer of the Knicks’ unforgettable run with his playmaking talent, OG Anunoby stepped up with two-way dominance and his historic Game 4 tip to seal the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, while the two of Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart were tremendous with their hustle, scoring impact and defense.
With McCollum and the Hawks poised to take the next step, the Knicks now have a worthy opponent to watch out for in their pursuit of a championship repeat next season.
“As we were playing, we realized this is a really good team,” McCollum added. “They’re together, defend at a high level, load up, and have a lot of shot-makers and guys who can finish plays. They have a great closer in [Jalen] Brunson, and I think they figured something out.
“We pushed them to the limit, and I’m sure they appreciated that we tested them and got them ready.”
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