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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 2: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics guards Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks in the first quarter of a game at TD Garden on December 2, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

The New York Knicks finally got to experience an NBA Championship parade for the first time in well over five decades. A unique mix of players, team personnel, and local political officials did the speaking on the stage to celebrate the team finally bringing an NBA Title back to New York City.

However, one embarrassing moment saw local politician Jumaane Williams accidentally referring to Jalen Brunson as “Jaylen Brown” during his speech:

The mistake was quickly corrected with Williams realizing his mistake of accidentally naming another Jalen/Jaylen in the NBA. Brunson didn’t seem unhappy or react that negatively to the mistake, but some Knicks fans certainly expressed anger about it on various social media platforms. To his defense, politicians had limited speaking time outside of Mayor Zohran Mamdani since the mayor is expected to do more talking.

Williams was rushing his words and clearly made a simple mistake vs mixing up the players for real confusion. If he didn’t correct himself so quickly, Williams might be forced to deal with the accusations of being a bandwagon fan. The mistake did look worse due to naming arguably the top player from the rival Boston Celtics team instead.

Is Jumaane Williams A Real Knicks Fan?

Williams is getting some fire towards him for making such a noteworthy mistake as the biggest Knicks celebration of most of our lifetimes. Zohran Mamdani received praise for his speech showing appreciation to the basketball team for uniting the New York City community through sports.

However, it is unfair to compare Williams’ mistake to him and try to judge his fandom that way. As a native New Yorker, I can personally attest that Williams has supported the Knicks quite often in recent years at various events. Williams didn’t shy away from his Knicks fandom when representing his office at a Brooklyn Nets local event a few years back.

Various live games and decades of fandom have seen Williams supporting the Knicks consistently. The fandom may have gotten the better of him to be nervous during the short speech leading to the mistake. Regardless, Williams now has a memorable moment tied to the Knicks parade forever.

Jalen Brunson Received Key To The City

The ceremony following the parade ended with Mayor Mamdani giving the key to the city to each member of the Knicks. Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby all received the loudest ovations from the New York crowd as each player was called up one by one.

Knicks owner James Dolan was the only person at the event to get any boos since he holds a polarizing reputation among New Yorkers. Despite owning the most beloved team at the moment, Dolan has found himself in many negative stories in recent weeks.

The Knicks ending the NBA’s unofficial boycott of visiting Trump’s White House has put him at odds with many New York City residents. Past beef with Knicks all-time great Charles Oakley banning the legend from MSG added more hostility towards Dolan. Not to mention, many of the Knicks longtime struggles came when he had a more active role in decision making than he does now.