Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart have spent the past week swimming in confetti, hugging Larry O’Brien, and soaking up every bit of New York adoration. But when the Yankees invited the Knicks’ title-winning duo to throw out the first pitch Wednesday night, the pair didn’t bother dialing down the antics.
Cameras at Yankee Stadium caught Brunson messing with Hart during a moment on the field — a quick shove, a smirk, the kind of goofing off that’s become their signature. The clip spread fast on social media, and Knicks fans ate it up. These two have always been like this. They were like this at Villanova, winning a national championship together in 2016 and snapping a 31-year dry spell for the Philadelphia Catholic school. They were like this in San Antonio on Saturday, when Brunson dropped 45 points in Game 5 and Hart posted a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double in a 94-90 road win that ended the Knicks’ 53-year championship drought.
Now they’re the faces of a revived franchise, and they’re leaning into the role with a mix of humor and chaos. Both joined the rest of the Knicks’ starting five on ABC’s Good Morning America, where Brunson got a shoutout from lifelong Knicks fan and Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay. There’s even a Bodega Breakfast order named after him now — a proper New York honor.
Hart and Brunson heard loud cheers when they stepped onto the Yankee Stadium grass Wednesday. But Thursday’s parade through Lower Manhattan’s Canyon of Heroes is expected to be louder. The city hasn’t held a ticker-tape basketball parade since 1973. The last time the Knicks won, Richard Nixon was president and the original World Trade Center was brand new. This moment carries weight — and Brunson and Hart are carrying it with a smirk.
Villanova even gave them a shoutout on social media, recognizing their contributions alongside former Wildcat teammate Mikal Bridges. For a program that produced NBA talent and a national title, seeing three of its own hoist the NBA trophy together is a full-circle flex.
As for the Yankees game itself: the ceremonial first pitches were reportedly thrown without incident, though fans online noted the playful energy the Knicks duo brought to the Bronx. The team has not confirmed whether either pitcher will be invited back for a postseason game.
But that’s not the point. The point is that New York has waited 53 years for a basketball championship, and the two guys at the center of it are having the time of their lives — on the court, in the studio, and now, under the lights of Yankee Stadium.
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