The New York Knicks haven’t reached the NBA Finals since 1999. That’s a long drought by any measure, and last season they came painfully close - falling just two wins short in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers.
But heading into this season, there’s a different energy around this team. Jalen Brunson and the rest of the Knicks core are locked in, and some former NBA stars are starting to buy into the idea that this group might actually have what it takes to make a serious run.
On Monday’s episode of Run it Back on FanDuel TV, former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams made a bold call: he picked the Knicks to come out of the East and make the Finals. That’s not a throwaway prediction - it’s a vote of confidence in a team that’s been building toward something bigger. Williams acknowledged there are still questions, particularly around Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart adjusting to their roles under new head coach Mike Brown, but he’s clearly seen enough to believe this team can put it all together.
DeMarcus Cousins, who co-hosts the show with Williams, didn’t take much convincing.
“Lou sold that so well, I think I'm gonna have to agree with him,” Cousins said. “When it comes to being consistent throughout the regular season, I think they've done the best job, as far as the Eastern Conference is concerned.”
That’s a notable shift in tone from Cousins - especially considering where he stood on the Knicks just earlier this year.
Back in February, Cousins wasn’t exactly sold on New York’s Villanova-heavy roster construction. The Knicks had leaned heavily into their “Nova Knicks” identity, building around a core that included former Wildcats like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo.
At the time, Cousins wasn’t impressed. He laughed off the idea that a group of former college teammates could translate into a championship-caliber NBA roster.
“We've been bamboozled,” Cousins said then. “We sat here and allowed the Knicks to put together a championship college team and try to run it back in the NBA. When they initially did, we thought it was a good idea, but now we look at it, they look like an average team.”
Fast forward nine months, and Cousins’ tune has changed - and that says something about how far this Knicks team has come. What once looked like a gimmick now feels like a cohesive unit with real chemistry. The Villanova connection isn’t just a marketing angle - it’s become part of the team’s identity, and more importantly, it’s working on the court.
Of course, the Eastern Conference is still a gauntlet. Boston, Milwaukee, and Miami all have championship aspirations of their own. But if the Knicks continue to build on the consistency they’ve shown and if Mike Brown can get the most out of Towns and Hart in their evolving roles, this team has the pieces to make noise deep into the playoffs.
It’s still early, and there’s a lot of basketball left to be played. But when guys like Lou Williams and DeMarcus Cousins - players who’ve been around the league, seen what winning looks like, and know what it takes - start putting their chips on the Knicks, it’s worth paying attention.
This isn’t the same old New York team. The Knicks are starting to look like a legitimate threat in the East.