As New York prepares for what city officials expect could be the largest ticker-tape parade in its history, former New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury is making sure the celebration comes with a warning—and a reminder that some Knicks fans still haven't forgiven Victor Wembanyama for his actions during the NBA Finals.
Speaking on MRECKTV's Shots Fired podcast, Marbury used the upcoming championship parade as an opportunity to rally fans while also taking aim at the San Antonio Spurs superstar. The comments come days before thousands are expected to flood Lower Manhattan for the Knicks' first-ever ticker-tape parade following the franchise's first NBA title in more than five decades.
Marbury repeatedly stressed that fans should celebrate responsibly, warning anyone thinking about causing trouble that New York authorities would not tolerate disruptions. "We haven't won in 53 years," Marbury said. "If you think you going to come to the parade and you're going to mess it up... don't do it."
The parade marks a historic moment for the franchise. According to Gothamist, despite winning championships in 1970 and 1973, the Knicks never received a ticker-tape parade because the city had suspended the tradition at the time. This year's celebration will send the team through the famed "Canyon of Heroes" before culminating with a ceremony at City Hall, where players are expected to receive Keys to the City.
But Marbury's most pointed remarks were reserved for Wembanyama, whose playoff run generated headlines for several physical confrontations. The Spurs star was criticized during the postseason for multiple flagrant fouls, including an elbow that resulted in an ejection and a controversial shove of Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during the NBA Finals.
Marbury made it clear he hasn't forgotten the incident involving Brunson. "If he ever in his life thought that it was okay to mush somebody from New York, I'm going to be the first person standing there to let him know that it's not going down like that," Marbury said.
According to Marbury, the issue wasn't just the shove itself. It was what he took to be Wembanyama's reaction afterward. "You laughed and you smiled," Marbury said. "All New Yorkers were mad because you touched the king of the north."
He then called for a public apology from Wembanyama to Brunson, adding, "Until you say sorry publicly, you got to make a public apology."
Whether Wembanyama responds or not, the focus in New York is shifting toward celebration. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has predicted record-breaking crowds, and the city is distributing 2,500 pounds of shredded paper to office buildings along the parade route to continue the century-old tradition.
