The most shocking thing about the new NBA season isn’t that LeBron James is wearing a Philadelphia 76ers jersey. It is that the man who just joined the Knicks’ biggest rival is the one championing their chance to win it all again. James, now in the Atlantic Division with the 76ers, told the world that the defending champion New York Knicks are built to go deep again because they lack the arrogance that kills most title teams.
While the rest of the league looks for ways to knock New York off its perch, James sees a team that is hungry to work. He noted on his podcast that the Knicks do not act like they have already won. This mindset is rare in a league where champions often get comfortable and lose their edge. James believes this specific trait will keep the Knicks at the top of the mountain.
A Humble Champion
James spoke during a recent episode of “Mind the Game” with co-host Steve Nash. He explained that the Knicks have a culture that rejects entitlement. When a player wins a ring, they often expect to win again without putting in the same effort. The Knicks are different. James said, “They (the Knicks) are going to be right back, where it started. When you experience that success, they don’t have many guys that gives me, entitled. Like, oh we won, so we expect to win (again). They give me guys like, humble guys, lets go back to work again. So they’ll be right back there.”
This humility was on full display during their historic playoff run last spring. To reach the Finals, the squad secured 13 consecutive victories, marking the second-longest streak in NBA playoff history. Only the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors won more consecutive games in a single postseason. That run ended with the 2026 Knicks securing their first NBA championship in 53 years, a drought that finally ended in dramatic fashion.
Defense Wins Rings
James pointed to the defensive intensity as the other key to their success. He watched closely how New York played against the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals. According to Yahoo Sports, the Knicks beat the Spurs in five games even though many felt San Antonio had the more talented roster. James told Nash that the Knicks “played the game the right way, defended at an extremely high level.”
The 2026 Knicks are about to face the hardest test of all: defending a title. New York has not had to wear a target since 1973, when they last won the championship. Every team they play will be looking for a piece of the trophy. The league has seen a different champion every year since the Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. Breaking that streak is hard, but keeping the title is even harder.
New York will need its core to stay healthy and sharp. The team has most of the title roster back, though center Mitchell Robinson left for the Boston Celtics. Center Andre Drummond is now on hand to fill that spot. Josh Hart, a guard currently featured in news due to the Knicks postponing extension negotiations, also received praise from James. Hart’s grit and effort fit perfectly with the defensive identity James admires.
The Target on Their Back
On Tuesday, the podcast account shared a clip from James and Nash’s season preview show, questioning if the defending champs could return a trophy to the city. During his early Cleveland years, James recalled head coach Mike Brown, who consistently emphasized competition when addressing his teams. That same competitive fire seems to be driving New York.
Following the Finals, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton even expressed support for the Knicks. But the real challenge comes from the Atlantic Division. LeBron James will see the Knicks on opening night as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. He knows the difficulty of the task ahead, yet he still sees the path for New York to repeat.
Although guard Jalen Brunson claimed Finals MVP, James stated that forward OG Anunoby deserved the title as the team’s MVP. This highlights the depth of the roster and the unselfish nature of the group. As the season starts on Thursday, the Knicks will try to prove James right.
