It's been a summer of celebration for the New York Knicks, their fans and their franchise legends. As they crept toward their first title since 1971, their celebrity fans were increasingly joined in the stands by the players who had starred at MSG in year's past — Marcus Camby, Latrell Sprewell and Larry Johnson from the 1999 team, that last Knicks squad to make the Finals. Stephon Marbury. Charles Oakley. And of course, John Starks — one of the most beloved Knicks of all time and a key member of their teams in the mid-1990s.
Starks recently spoke with Adam Weinrib and FanSided on behalf of Pepsi and shared what it meant to be there in the stands throughout the Knicks historic run.
"But I felt proud to be just to be in the arena, to be able to root these guys on that run was just incredible. I've never seen nothing like it. Probably would never see nothing like it again."
The Knicks have been riding high since June but we're just days away from the start of the 2026-27 season and defending their title is not going to be easy.. LeBron James is back in the Eastern Conference, playing for the loaded Philadelphia 76ers. Giannis Antetokounmpo has a new supporting cast around him, now with the Miami Heat. Tyrese Haliburton is healthy and back with the Pacers, who knocked the Knicks out of the playoffs in 2025.
"It's going to be a challenge whatever you do," said Starks. "Because when you're defending champion, everybody is coming at you with that best game every single night. So you don't have any nights off. You know, you're coming in and trying to defend the title. I like some of our new additions that we have. I got a chance to see them for the first time against Philadelphia, and I was surprised to see certain guys on the team."
The Knicks brought back most of their core, with Andre Drummond replacing back-up center Mitchell Robinson as the only significant change. They begin their title defense at home against LeBron and the 76ers on Opening Night, Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Watch the full John Starks interview here:
Pepsi is celebrating the New York Knicks’ historic championship and the fans who fueled the run with “Champions Deserve Pepsi,” a new campaign launching ahead of the 2026–27 season.
Beginning October 5, limited-edition 16 oz PEPSI® x Knicks Championship cans, along with limited-edition 20 oz PEPSI® and PEPSI® Zero Sugar x Knicks bottles, will be available at participating retailers across the Tri-State region, with fans having the chance to win Knicks tickets.
Knicks legend John Starks surprised select fans with an early look at the commemorative cans, with new billboards featuring real fan imagery from the Finals set to hit NYC streets around season tip-off at The Garden.
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