McCollum told Anunoby the Knicks could win the title
Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum says he told OG Anunoby during their first-round series that the New York Knicks could win the NBA championship. Speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, McCollum said he was not surprised by New York's title and praised the roster's mesh, focus, and intensity that he flagged to Anunoby at the free-throw line.
Key Takeaways
- McCollum told Anunoby at the free-throw line he believed the Knicks could win the championship.
- On SiriusXM NBA Radio, he cited New York's roster chemistry, focus, and defensive intensity.
- Atlanta led the series 2-1 before the Knicks closed with three straight wins on a 16-3 title path.
- Daily Knicks disputed McCollum's claim that the Hawks pushed New York "to the limit" after late blowouts.
- BasketNews notes Anunoby's two-way impact, including a historic Game 4 tip in the Finals.
What did CJ McCollum tell Anunoby?
McCollum's reveal centers on a free-throw-line exchange with Anunoby while the Hawks were still pressing the Knicks. "I wasn't surprised they won. I actually told OG [Anunoby] at the free-throw line, 'I think you guys can win the championship,'" he said, according to BasketNews.
"Looking at their roster, how they were playing, meshing, and their focus and intensity, I saw a team capable of making a deep run." The prediction to Anunoby landed before New York finished its first championship in 53 years.
Why does McCollum say the Knicks figured something out?
McCollum argued Atlanta saw championship traits up close. "As we were playing, we realized this is a really good team," he said. "They're together, defend at a high level, load up, and have a lot of shot-makers and guys who can finish plays. They have a great closer in [Jalen] Brunson, and I think they figured something out."
"We pushed them to the limit, and I'm sure they appreciated that we tested them and got them ready," McCollum added. More viral sports and market buzz also lands in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts feed.
BasketNews also highlighted Anunoby's two-way dominance and a historic Game 4 tip that helped seal what it called the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart.
Did the Hawks really push the Knicks to the limit?
The Hawks won two of the first three games, putting New York in a 2-1 hole. Daily Knicks notes the Knicks then won the next three by 16, 29, and 51 points—a combined 95-point margin—and led Game 6 by 83-36 at halftime while starters sat the final 14:45.
That outlet called McCollum's "to the limit" framing inaccurate, even while agreeing the Knicks "figured something out." Away from Atlanta, New York went 12-1 in the postseason and finished 16-3 overall. Whether the series stress-tested Anunoby's club or not, McCollum's early championship read to Anunoby proved prophetic.