8 ways faith and family quietly showed up at the NBA finals

· Yahoo Sports

The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. | Darren Abate, Associated Press

When the New York Knicks miraculously erased a 29-point deficit in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, fans were downright rapturous when asked about their feelings.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this in the history of me being alive,” one said.

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“The best feeling of our life,” said a father standing by his son, who added, “You will never feel anything better. Nothing will ever top this.”

New York Times journalist Matt Flegenheimer recounted how the NBA finals “started to feel something like magic — the divine bounces, the miracle comebacks, the unstoppable joy.”

Lauren Jackson also described being struck by the famously crowded, amped-up city, where “millions were, for a few hours, entirely focused on one thing.” She observed “the entire city shake and scream after each win” — an elated mood she said “bordered on religious ecstasy.”

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For those looking closely, however, deep faith and family connections showed up more quietly.

1. Bible verses for Brunson

The NBA Finals MVP, Jalen Brunson, grew up with a mother devoted to God. ESPN reports that Sandra Brunson texts her son a Bible verse before every game — including the following verse Saturday morning before the final game, with extra emphasis on a few words.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives as San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) and guard Dylan Harper (2) defend during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. | Darren Abate, Associated Press

“When you go through deep waters, I WILL BE WITH YOU. When you go through rivers of difficulty, YOU WILL NOT DROWN. Isaiah 43:2.”

Sandra Brunson began sending these regularly to Jalen and his sister Erica during her husband, Rick’s, NBA career. “As you get older you realize your natural ability can only take you so far. You need something else,” she said. “You need belief … Because you can’t control everything.”

2. Spurs athletes talk of their faith

While the winning team has received most of the spotlight, several Spurs players have also publicly discussed their faith.

Like Brunson, Spurs star De’Aaron Fox is also a Christian. And Luke Kornet is a devoted Catholic.

Victor Wembayana wore a robe to one playoff game to commemorate an Islamic holiday, Eid al-Adha, and trained last year at the Shaolin Temple in the Henan province of China.

3. Towns talks of Christ and feeling his mother’s presence

After the dramatic comeback game, Karl-Anthony Towns looked up to heaven, later explaining, “I take it as a sign my mom was here with me.”

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns carries the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. | Darren Abate, Associated Press

His mother, Jacqueline “Jackie” Cruz-Towns, died during the pandemic. Recalling the final weeks of her life, Towns said, “I remember always asking her, if this going to be the last time seeing her in the physical, let me feel her spirit at all times.”

“Her presence is always felt in my life,” he said at the post-series press conference. “It’s just great to always feel her arms around me.”

Earlier, Towns described the tattoo on his neck, which has his mother’s death date alongside Philippians 4:13. “I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me, but I was strengthened on April 13 when I lost my mother,” he said.

“That’s been my favorite Bible verse my whole entire life since I was little,” he added. “I didn’t know the significance it would have in my life when I became an adult.

“But what I do know is that I truly can do anything when I walk in faith. When I walk with the angels beside me, I feel anything’s possible … nothing’s impossible.”

4. Brunson emotional about Make-A-Wish friend Jonathan

“Really quick, before we get started,” Jalen Brunson said before the postgame press conference after the huge comeback. “My thoughts and prayers are with a friend of mine I got to meet and talk to last week, Jonathan from North Carolina.”

Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the superstar learned about this teenager’s heart condition. “It was just asked of me to just kind of take a video and reach out to him, but something in my mind told me just to try and get on FaceTime and chat with him, and I got the pleasure to do so.”

The call wasn’t long, Brunson said, but was “well worth it.” He mentioned learning some “news” about the teenager that day.

“And I just want to say my thoughts and prayers for him and his family,” Brunson said.

In the middle of a subsequent question about the game’s dramatic ending, Brunson was still distracted and shaken up by the news — and had to take a moment to compose himself.

“In the middle of one of the biggest nights of his career, Brunson paused to acknowledge a family walking through grief,” remarked the host of “Sports and Faith,” suggesting the words were a reminder that “life is short, so put your hope in something that lasts beyond this life.”

5. Children cheering for dads, fathers cheering for sons, wives cheering for husbands

Karl-Anthony Towns hugged his father and fiancee after the last victory, one among many celebrating with family members. Josh and Shannon Hart’s sons stole the show at the press conference after the series was over — after being given the MVP trophy earlier at the awards ceremony.

Jalen Brunson also embraced his father, a Knicks assistant coach who had previously played in the NBA.

Brunson’s wife, Ali, ran to hug him — as did his mom before watching the award ceremony. But the superstar said the reality of it all will likely only hit him “when I get some alone time and probably get home. It’ll sink in a little bit. Probably when I hug my daughter tomorrow morning.”

6. Competing nuns, but who’s the Pope rooting for?

When the Villanova graduate Robert Prevost became Pope Leo, Knicks superfan Spike Lee couldn’t resist waxing prophetic about a “holy blessing” sure to come for the team, since three of the team’s stars won championships for Villanova, which Prevost had celebrated online at the time.

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Lee subsequently hand-delivered Pope Leo a personalized Knicks jersey in the fall of 2025, wearing the same jersey to Game 3 of the Finals.

Although the pontiff has said “the Pope is for all teams,” some Knicks fans have taken this as a sign the Pope was rooting for their team — especially after he appeared to acknowledge a Knicks fan with a thumbs-up during a public appearance at the Vatican.

There’s no uncertainty about the fandom of the Salesian Sisters (the “Spurs Nuns”), who have been attending games for two decades since writing to tell former coach Gregg Popovich they were praying for the team. During these playoffs, they prayed with Spurs players, specifically Victor Wembyana.

Amid this high-stakes showdown, however, the Salesian Sisters of the Eastern Province also had to make clear who they were rooting for.

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A New York Knicks fan celebrates after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. | Darren Abate, Associated Press

7. Selflessness, sacrifice and sportsmanship

Jalen Brunson exemplifies what Catholic Bishop John Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre called “true leadership.” The Knicks, Bishop Barres said, model “unselfish leadership for the common good,” along with other higher qualities often associated with faith.

In a day of embarrassing antics by athletes, observers took note of Brunson’s sportsmanship after the series, when he sought out the Spurs coach first to show him respect before anyone else.

Two years earlier, Brunson left an unprecedented $113 million on the table to give his team flexibility to recruit other players. When asked this week about the sacrifice, Brunson said, “One hundred percent worth it … this is definitely the cherry on top.”

“I believe that this team can go all the way,” Knicks owner James Dolan said at the beginning of the playoffs, before challenging them to sacrifice even more as a team. “(You have) 10 weeks in your life to achieve something that will stay with you the rest of your life.”

“But you’re gonna have to give it your all. You’re going to have to give more now than you’ve ever, ever given before to this team and to your careers.”

“Stop talking to the press. Instead, talk to each other,” he said. “You need to up your practice. You need to pay more attention to your diet. … You need to sleep better.”

8. A unity transcending other differences

“New York Knicks, 2026, we’re so grateful to you,” Bishop Barres said, “for the wonderful way you’ve turned Madison Square Garden again to just a magical place, and brought so many New Yorkers together.”

“That’s what it’s really about,” Towns said on the Today show, “to be able to have the game of sports bring around the whole city and unite them as one.”

One fan shouted during the week’s festivities, “My mayor’s still Muslim, my bagel’s still Jewish, the Pope’s on our side, Knicks in 5!”

Deena Yellin cited Rev. Phil Chorlian of North Jersey Vineyard Church describing having “Knicks fever” and admitting to having worn his Knicks jersey to church for the past two Sundays. He added, “The last couple of weeks in church there’s been a sea of Knicks gear in the seats.”

Rabbi Gabe Cohen of Temple Emanu-El across the river from New York wore an orange and blue kippah at his service instead of the traditional gray one.

“The Knicks are bringing people together in a way that transcends sports,” Rabbi Cohen said. “People are now more inclined to be in the pews because they are praying for the team and finding a group that wants to talk basketball.

“We can put aside our differences and cheer them together. Shabbat Shalom is followed by ‘Go Knicks!’”

New York City police officers celebrate the Knicks victory after a watch party for Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Saturday, June 13, 2026 in New York. | Stefan Jeremiah, Associated Press

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