Actor Timothée Chalamet celebrated the New York Knicks winning the 2026 NBA championship by joining the team in their locker room on Sunday [1].
The moment highlights the intersection of celebrity culture and sports loyalty, as Chalamet prioritized a lifelong passion for his home team over the prestige of Hollywood's highest honor.
The celebration took place in San Antonio, Texas, following Game 5 of the NBA Finals [3]. The Knicks secured the title by defeating the San Antonio Spurs with a final score of 94-90 [5]. This victory marks the first championship for the New York franchise in 53 years [3].
Chalamet, a lifelong Knicks fan, was filmed in the locker room grabbing a bottle of champagne to mark the occasion [3]. During the festivities, he compared the sports victory to the Academy Awards. "Way rather have a New York Knicks championship than an Oscar," Chalamet said [1].
In other recordings of the celebration, he expressed similar sentiments. "Way rather this than the Oscars," he said [3]. He also noted that the win was "way better this than the Oscars" [5].
Chalamet's presence in the locker room served as a high-profile endorsement of the team's success. He said the championship moment meant more to him than any Oscar nomination [1, 6]. The actor's enthusiasm mirrored the relief of a fanbase that had waited more than five decades for a title [3].
“"Way rather have a New York Knicks championship than an Oscar."”
The New York Knicks' 2026 championship ends a 53-year drought, transforming the team from a perennial struggle into a historic success. Chalamet's public preference for this victory over an Oscar underscores the deep cultural identity tied to New York sports, where a city-wide championship often carries more social currency than individual professional accolades in the arts.
