Championship Superstitions
Knicks Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns Embrace Superstitions Post-Championship Win
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New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson and star Karl-Anthony Towns are now full believers in superstitions — and they're not hiding it. The two appeared on *The Tonight Show* on June 15, 2026, days after the Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought by beating the San Antonio Spurs TheWrap.
Brunson, once the team's biggest skeptic, summed it up simply: "I was a little skeptical at first, but I'm now a believer... You have to believe it now" TheWrap. Towns agreed, pointing to his fiancée Jordyn Woods and her orange clutch bag as a key piece of the puzzle.
WWE Wrestler Danhausen Sparked the Knicks' Turnaround
It started with a curse — and then an un-cursing. On April 15, 2026, WWE star Danhausen publicly cursed the Knicks after a media spat involving ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Yahoo Sports. The team struggled early, falling 2-1 in their opening playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Then, on May 1, a fan paid Danhausen through the Cameo app to lift the curse. Danhausen released a video saying, "The New York Knicks, I guess you can be uncursed" Yahoo Sports. What followed was a 12-game winning streak. The Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers and charged into the NBA Finals.
Jordyn Woods' Orange Bag Became a Lucky Totem
Karl-Anthony Towns pointed to another force: his fiancée Jordyn Woods and her "Woods by Jordyn" orange clutch. The team went undefeated in every game she carried it into the arena TheWrap. Towns said on *The Tonight Show*: "What do you want me to say? We were undefeated in the playoffs. Obviously, she made some magic when she made that Woods by Jordyn bag."
The one exception? Game 3 of the NBA Finals, when a strict no-bag policy blocked Woods from bringing the clutch inside Madison Square Garden. The Knicks lost that game. It was their only defeat in the entire 2026 playoff run. The $125 orange bag has since sold out completely, with a secondary market forming for the "lucky" accessory Yahoo Sports.
Brunson's 45-Point Clincher Closed a 53-Year Wait
Superstitions aside, Brunson played like a champion when it mattered most. He scored 45 points in the clinching Game 5 win over the Spurs in San Antonio on June 13, 2026 TheWrap. He averaged 32.6 points per game across the Finals and was named the Bill Russell Finals MVP. The Knicks' last title had come in 1973 — before most of the current roster was born.
Head Coach Mike Brown encouraged players to lean into whatever gave them a mental edge — including superstitions. Brunson also famously left $113 million on the table in his 2024 contract extension to help the team build a stronger roster. That financial sacrifice, combined with team chemistry and a little orange bag magic, is what analysts credit for the run Total Pro Sports.
The 'Danhausen Effect' Could Spread Across the NBA
The Knicks' story is now bigger than basketball. The overlap between professional wrestling lore and an NBA title run is nearly unprecedented. Branding experts say Woods effectively turned a $125 clutch into a piece of New York sports history TheWrap. Fans have already compared the orange bag to the "Rally Monkey" that helped the 2002 Anaheim Angels win the World Series.
Sports analysts expect other franchises to try similar "viral blessing" strategies in future seasons. Whether it's a curse, a handbag, or a wrestler with a Cameo account, the Knicks have shown that belief — rational or not — can be a powerful force. Brunson put it plainly: "You have to believe it now" Yahoo Sports.
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