Control tower’s message to Knicks’ players caught on audio during team flight

The New York Knicks took down the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. They became World Champions on Saturday night after winning Game 5 94-90 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. After the trophy presentation and some celebration in Texas, the Knicks flew back home, and the air traffic control operator had to issue his congratulations.

Pilot of Knicks plane: "Tower for departure

(Knicks rowdy in background)

San Antonio Tower: "Tell those guys congratulations enjoy the moment"

Pilot: "Oh they're enjoying back there…

(More yelling)

Tower "Yeah I can hear em

Pilot "The plane's rockin, they're having a… pic.twitter.com/HLAl6bUvKR

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 14, 2026

After the Knicks’ pilot passed along his information, the air traffic controller broke script. “If you can, tell those guys congratulations, enjoy the moment,” he said, per a video obtained by NBA New York on X. “Oh they’re enjoying it back there,” the pilot said with the Knicks screaming in the background. “You probably can hear them. They’re having a good time back there, man. Yeah, we’ll pass it along.”

Then, Delta 8938 made it up to New York, carrying the Knicks. The pilot gets on the horn with the New York air traffic contingent, informing them he is flying over the Verezanno Bridge. After confirming, the New York operator issued his congrats. “Please let the guys know, New York TRACON, LaGuardia Tower, Kennedy Tower, maybe even Newark Tower, Westchester Tower, we’re all on about 3-to-4 hours of sleep, but as happy as we could ever be.”

The Knicks galvanized New York City as nothing has in the sports world in many years. Jalen Brunson has become a superstar that the city hasn’t seen since Derek Jeter, and the 2026 Knicks will live on in the same sentence as the 1994 Rangers. From air traffic controllers to sanitation workers to Ben Stiller to the mayor, everyone is on the Knicks’ side.

The Knicks won Game 4 at home thanks to the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. Then, they came back again in Game 5 to secure the third Larry O’Brein trophy in franchise history. Maybe next time, it won’t take 53 years.

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