Move over, Dallas Cowboys, there's a new "America's Team" in professional sports.
The Cowboys have been considered "America's Team" for nearly five decades due to their popularity and constant exposure on TV. Apparently, their reign has come to an end just before the start of the 2026 NFL season.
During this Monday's episode of "First Take," ESPN analyst Jay Williams said the New York Knicks should be considered "America's Team" moving forward. He pointed out how the NBA champions approached this year's playoffs with a blue-collar attitude, which was in return well-received by fans in the Big Apple.
"I think them winning the championship, has cemented them as Americas team. This team, is Americas team. I think it's the blue-collar attitude that they have. Jalen Brunson took $113 million less in New York City where taxes are high and treats it like he's putting his workcap on every day when he's coming to work. It's also a team of outcasts to a certain degree.
"... The things people said about them over the course of the year - they didn't clap back. I don't think there was ever a time I thought I would say a New York City team could be America's team. But I think this Knick team feels like America."
Fans don't necessarily agree with this claim from Williams, but they definitely enjoyed watching OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns constantly deliver in crunch time against the San Antonio Spurs.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Are the 2026 Knicks an all-time great team?
Not only did Williams say the Knicks are now "America's Team," he referred to Mike Brown's squad as an "all-time great" group.
"I think their all-time great team because they had a all-time great run," Williams said. "You have a great run at the end of the day regardless of name recognition because that’s how we like to associate great teams, like how many Hall of Famers are on a team, or how many names jump off the page. Beautiful thing about this squad is they were actual unit they did it collectively and for me that etches them in history of one the all-time great teams."
For what it's worth, the 2026 Knicks had the best point differential in a single postseason. If that's not all-time great, we're not sure what is.
