Knicks' Recent Comments Show How Serious They Are About Repeat Title

Not long after Mitchell Robinson grabbed the biggest rebound in the history of the organization and the clock wound down to zero 26.1 seconds later, giving the Knicks their first championship in 53 years, nobody would fault them if they were one-and-done.

The last eight champions didn't repeat, and they would just be following in the footsteps of other great teams like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Golden State Warriors.

If there's one thing New Yorkers have become accustomed to, though, it's the tenacity of this group, from their stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns right down to supporting guys like Tyler Kolek and Josh Hart.

Hart and Kolek, in particular, have been vocal recently about where the team's headspace is right now.

Kolek was greeted as a hero at the House of Sports basketball youth camp, where young Knicks fans surrounded the 25-year-old champion. Despite the hero's welcome, Kolek shared an unpretentious glimpse into where his head is at for the upcoming season.

"We're not satisfied with just one," Kolek told the youth camp, according to Jonathan Macri from Knicks Film School.

Tyler Kolek mobbed by campers at House of Sports in Ardsley pic.twitter.com/ZhcCZzRa5o
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) September 12, 2026

At the U.S. Open, Josh Hart shared a similar sentiment but gave a more aggrieved message. He jumped on the broadcast and mentioned that nobody is picking them to repeat. To him, it's a sign of disrespect, and he and his teammates are apt to prove the basketball world outside of New York wrong.

"I don't think we have a big target because I don't think anyone is picking us to win again," Hart said at the U.S. Open. "We're using it as fuel. We're still the hunters. We're not satisfied with one"

"I dont think we have a big target
Because I don't think anyone
is picking us to win again.
We're using it as fuel
We're still the hunters
We're not satsified with one"

–– Josh Hart pic.twitter.com/gc58zBOrkk
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 10, 2026

Knicks are right to feel like they're being doubted after championship

What Hart said isn't just a manufactured us-against-the-world mentality either. According to the championship odds on DraftKings, the Knicks are tied for only the third-best chance to win the title this year.

They trail the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, and are even with a revamped Philadelphia 76ers team that just added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. Those splashy additions are going to come with adjustments pains, though, and there's no telling if that group can get over the hump that's plagued Philly throughout Joel Embiid's tenure.

In many ways, the current treatment feels like what the narrative was heading into the postseason for the Knicks last season. Everybody thought they were more than capable of making it out of the East. But there were doubts about if they faced OKC or the Spurs.

They answered that question historically, winning 13 straight postseason games and making two different 20-point comebacks. Of course, the second apron has made it harder for teams to repeat and keep teams together.

The Knicks were a victim of those financial implications by losing Robinson, but at this point in the offseason, the team still has the gritty mentality that won them a championship in the first place, which could help fuel a rare second straight title.

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