NEW YORK — Believe it or not, the Knicks already have an NBA Champion before the 2026 NBA Finals has even started. The dramatic conclusion of the conference finals has set up a dream matchup between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. While fans and analysts are busy breaking down defensive schemes, star matchups, and legacy implications, an administrative loophole has already solved the ultimate riddle of the postseason.
Knicks Already Have An NBA Champion Before The 2026 NBA Finals Has Even Started
While the Knicks and Spurs have to fight through a grueling best-of-seven series starting June 3, New York forward Jeremy Sochan can already carve out a dedicated spot in his trophy cabinet for a 2026 championship ring. No matter which team hoists the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of this series, Jeremy Sochan is mathematically and culturally guaranteed to receive championship hardware.
How the Mid-Season Loophole Was Created
This unique operational anomaly is the result of a wild journey across the NBA landscape. Jeremy Sochan began the 2025-26 regular season campaign as a core member of the Spurs’ rotation, appearing in 28 games for San Antonio. However, as the trade deadline neared, roster numbers forced a squeeze, and the Spurs ultimately waived the versatile forward in February after failing to find a trade partner on the market.
That is where the basketball gods stepped in. After clearing waivers, the Knicks swooped in to sign the former lottery pick, adding his signature defensive intensity to Mike Brown’s rotation. Jeremy Sochan went on to play 16 regular-season games for New York, providing a gritty perimeter spark off the bench. His minutes went down during the Knicks’ run through the Eastern Conference bracket, only coming on during blowouts.
Because he wore both jerseys during this singular campaign, the upcoming Finals matchup creates a win-win scenario that is incredibly rare in modern sports history.
The Active Roster vs. The Unwritten Rule
The mechanics of how Jeremy Sochan secures his jewelry depend entirely on who wins four games first, but both paths lead to the exact same golden destination:
If the Knicks Win: This is the straightforward path. As an active, contributing member of the current New York roster who has seen playoff minutes across multiple rounds, Sochan will automatically receive his ring on opening night next season if he returns to Manhattan.
If the Spurs Win: While the NBA leaves ring distribution entirely to the discretion of individual franchise ownership, it has long been a sacred, unwritten rule across the league that teams offer championship rings to any player who suited up for them during that championship season. Given that San Antonio drafted Sochan 9th overall in 2022 and that he maintains a famously close personal relationship with Victor Wembanyama, it is practically unthinkable that the classy Spurs organization wouldn’t extend the gesture to their former teammate.
A One-of-a-Kind Journey to Madison Square Garden
This championship guarantee serves as the ultimate punctuation mark on a basketball itinerary that has been anything but ordinary. His mid-season addition to the roster stands out as one of the most unique paths to Madison Square Garden in recent memory, transitioning directly from a developmental piece in the Western Conference wilderness to an insurance policy for a championship contender in the world’s most famous arena.
While his teammates will be playing under immense, legacy-defining pressure when Game 1 tips off at the Frost Bank Center, Jeremy Sochan can step onto the floor with total peace of mind. The series hasn’t even started, but the knicks already have an NBA champion.
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