NEW YORK — The New York Knicks were feted with a classic ticker-tape parade through Lower Manhattan on Thursday, drawing massive crowds to the Canyon of Heroes as the city celebrated its first NBA championship in more than 50 years. Confetti rained down on Broadway as players and coaching staff rode atop floats, waving to the sea of blue and orange that stretched for blocks in every direction.

The parade, confirmed by city officials on Wednesday evening, marked the culmination of a remarkable run for the franchise. Star players including Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were greeted by deafening cheers as they made their way from Battery Park toward City Hall, where Mayor Eric Adams was expected to formally honor the team with the keys to the city.

Fans had camped overnight to secure prime viewing spots along the route, and the NYPD estimated preliminary crowd figures in the millions — rivaling the celebrations that followed the city's last great championship runs. 'This is what New York basketball is supposed to feel like,' Brunson told reporters before boarding his float. 'We did this for every Knicks fan who waited their whole life for this moment.'

The franchise's championship drought, which stretched back to 1973 when Walt Frazier and Willis Reed led the team to glory, made the occasion all the more emotional for lifelong supporters. Scenes of fans weeping, embracing strangers, and waving handmade signs dominated social media throughout Wednesday as the city geared up for Thursday's celebration.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau, who guided the team through multiple playoff runs before delivering the title, was widely praised as the architect of the turnaround. The Knicks' front office is already expected to face decisions on roster retention and free agency in the coming weeks, but for now, New York was firmly in celebration mode — one of the great moments in the city's storied sports history.