Thursday, October 1, 2026
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman hosted a rally on Wednesday to celebrate the New York Knicks' return to the NBA Finals and honor some of the most iconic players in franchise history.
It is the Knicks' first appearance in the finals since 1999, when New York also faced the San Antonio Spurs.
“The Knicks and Nassau County both get our orange from the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau,” Blakeman said. “The name Knickerbockers is of Dutch origin as well, so we’ve got a lot of shared history.”
Blakeman compared the 2026 team with the 1970 and 1973 teams that won the NBA title. “Our superstars, Brunson, Hart, and Towns fit the same mold as the stars of the championship teams,” he said. “They’ve got real heart.”
The event featured legendary former Knicks players, including NBA Hall of Famer Earl "The Pearl" Monroe. Monroe was a starting guard on the 1973 championship team alongside Walt “Clyde” Frazier.
“It’s such a nice day to see so many fans,” said Monroe, who's nickname was orginally "Magic" when he played street ball. “We haven’t seen fans this excited since we won the championship in ’73, it speaks to the influence the Knicks have over the city and all of New York.”
Monroe expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to celebrate the Knicks’ success. “It’s so wonderful and gratifying to compare the crowds we got in ’73 to the crowds now,” he said. “I’ve seen more Knicks paraphernalia than I even knew existed in the past couple of days.”
The participation of Knicks legends was coordinated with the assistance of Bob Sullivan of the Garden City based law firm of Sullivan Papain Block McManus Coffinas & Cannavo P.C., and a major sponsor of St. John's University basketball. The Red Storm also enjoued a suberb season making it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.
Hempstead Town Supervisor John Feretti expressed his support for the pro team like a true fan cheering at Madsion Square Grden saying," Go Knicks," at the rally.
Nassau County will light its Ceremonial Dome in the Knicks' colors of orange and blue in support of the team.
