Miles McBride revealed the name of the New York Knicks’ group chat after their 2026 NBA championship and explained how the historic title strengthened the bond inside the locker room.
Winning the 2026 NBA championship did more than end a 53-year drought for the New York Knicks. It also strengthened a locker-room bond that had already become one of the team’s defining qualities.
Miles “Deuce” McBride offered a rare look into that chemistry during an interview with PEOPLE, revealing that the Knicks’ team group chat has been buzzing ever since New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs and lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The most fitting detail? The chat now has a new name: “Champs.”
‘Champs’: The Group Chat Name That Says Everything
McBride explained that players have continued sharing celebration messages, family moments and reactions to the championship long after the final buzzer.
For a team that spent an entire season building trust on and off the court, the group chat has effectively become another extension of the championship celebration.
When asked what the chat was called, McBride did not hesitate.
“Champs” perfectly captures the new reality surrounding a roster that entered Knicks history by delivering the franchise’s first NBA title in more than five decades.
What makes the story resonate is its simplicity. There is no elaborate nickname or inside joke needed. One word summarizes everything this group accomplished together.
Why the 2026 Title Brought the Knicks Even Closer
McBride also admitted that the magnitude of the achievement still has not completely registered.
Even hearing himself called an NBA champion remains surreal after years of development, playoff disappointment and constant pressure in New York.
That reaction says plenty about how quickly life changed for the Knicks. They entered the postseason as contenders and emerged as immortals in one of basketball’s most demanding markets.
The championship also reinforced the importance of the relationships built inside the locker room. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, McBride and the rest of the roster will forever share a piece of New York sports history.
Players will eventually move on. Rosters will change. Careers will take different paths.
But that group chat name will always mean the same thing.
For the 2026 Knicks, they are no longer simply teammates.
They are Champs.
