{"id":2023,"date":"2026-06-14T12:36:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T12:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2023"},"modified":"2026-06-14T12:36:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T12:36:26","slug":"stephen-a-smith-makes-emotional-confession-after-knicks-end-championship-drought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2023","title":{"rendered":"Stephen A. Smith makes emotional confession after Knicks end championship drought"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Knicks almost left Stephen A. Smith speechless.<\/p>\n

Almost.<\/p>\n

The ESPN host and long-suffering Knicks fan was in San Antonio and on the court at Frost Bank Center as the team celebrated the franchise\u2019s first championship in 53 years.<\/p>

Read more Ben Stiller elated in aftermath of Knicks\u2019 championship win: \u2018As happy as I\u2019ve ever felt\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t even know how to put it in words because I damn sure didn\u2019t play,\u201d Smith said after the Knicks\u2019 94-90 NBA Finals-clinching Game 5 win. \u201cI didn\u2019t practice like these guys did, they did it. But it\u2019s been 53 long years, and there\u2019s been so many moments of misery that we had to endure as New York Knick fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd to be here tonight, I gotta confess until this series I never thought it\u2019d happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith has lived out the roller coaster of being a Knicks fan on ESPN through the years as he has become one of the biggest stars at the network.<\/p>\n

Most of that has consisted of him slamming the franchise as they suffered through years of disappointments.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo many things have gone wrong: The layups that wasn\u2019t with Charles Smith, the [Patrick] Ewings finger rolls, the Game 7s they didn\u2019t come out on top,\u201d Smith said. \u201cTime after time after time\u2026 And to be in attendance witnessing the end of a 53-year drought as born in The Bronx, raised in Hollis, Queens, New York City. I\u2019ve been a New York fan all my life, I never thought I\u2019d see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Now, Smith and millions of other New Yorkers have after the Knicks finished off the Spurs in five games on Saturday night with Jalen Brunson carrying them to a 94-90 victory thanks to a virtuoso fourth-quarter performance and 45 total points.<\/p>

Read more CBS reporter loses it after Knicks fan fires off F-bomb during live report as NYC goes nuts<\/a><\/p>\n

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Knicks Merch Shop<\/h3>\n
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\nPlaque Cover \u2013 June 11, 2026<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tAnother unbelievable Knicks win and another cover worth framing to hold onto this moment.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$119.00\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nOMG Women\u2019s Tee<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tNo three letters are more appropriate right now.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$35.00\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nCover Print \u2013 May 26, 2026<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tOwn this piece of history with our cover celebrating the Knicks\u2019 sweep over the Cavs.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$40.00+\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nKnicker Bonkers White Jersey<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tIf you\u2019re a Knicks fan and a Post fan, get in the game with this jersey inspired by our May 20, 2026 cover.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$60.00\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nNew Era 9SEVENTY Adjustable Hat\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tShow the boys some love as they face off against the Spurs to take the championship.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$37.99\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nCover Print \u2013 May 26, 2026<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tAfter 27 years, we\u2019re back in the finals. Immortalize this moment.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$40.00+\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nNew York Knicks Rebel Logo Tee<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tNo matter what happens from here, we made it, and nobody can take that away. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$34.99\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\nCover Print \u2013 May 20, 2026<\/span>\n<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\tBonkers feels like the only appropriate word to describe this season.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t$40.00+\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\tBuy Now\t\t\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Knicks ended up winning 15 of their final 16 playoff games after falling into a 2-1 series hole against the Hawks in the opening round.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t even know what to say,\u201d Smith said. I can\u2019t put into words how this feels. It\u2019s the best feeling I\u2019ve ever had in my life covering sports. I\u2019ve never had a feeling like this. It\u2019s unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>

Read more Teen shot during Knicks madness takeover in Times Square<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Knicks almost left Stephen A. Smith speechless. The ESPN host and long-suffering Knicks fan was in San Antonio and on the court as the the team celebrated the franchise’s first championship in 53 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,63,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-nba-finals","category-new-york-knicks"],"yoast_head":"\nStephen A. Smith makes emotional confession after Knicks end championship drought - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2023\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stephen A. Smith makes emotional confession after Knicks end championship drought - Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Knicks almost left Stephen A. Smith speechless. 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