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This is about a game, about overcoming adversity, about beating the odds, and about a city that is at once great and glamorous, yet oppressively hard to live in.

But the Knicks, in winning their first championship in 53 years, are not just a New York story. Their teamwork, discipline and dedication became a national story, a Cinderella story. They touched hearts in a very cynical culture. 

Imagine if politicians acted like this. If they put aside their hyper-partisanship and ideological agendas for the good of the country. If their default setting was cooperation and compromise rather than grabbing credit and demonizing opponents. Okay, you’re right. It’s too hard to imagine. 

It’s not about how many points Jalen Brunson scored (45 in Game 5, when he single-handedly carried the Knicks to victory). It’s about how he was long dismissed as weak and undersized (by NBA standards). The 6-foot-2 Brunson, who wasn’t drafted until the second round, had something to prove. Think of all the folks who feel underrated or misunderstood at their job, and how deeply they want to be recognized for their value.

TAYLOR SWIFT DANCES, SHIMMIES AND STEALS HEADLINES AS KNICKS ERASE 29-POINT HOLE IN NBA FINALS STUNNER

It’s about the greatest city on earth, which is also the most frustrating city on earth. I once wrote that New Yorkers live under conditions that would cause riots in any other city, and I haven’t changed that view. Everybody is squeezed together. It’s absurdly overcrowded. 

As a guy from Brooklyn, who played in a league and in the asphalt jungle, where if you lost you had to sit on the sidelines for a good long time, I don’t pretend to be unbiased. We played touch football in the street and had to stop every time a car came. That was before we got on the grass field because someone cut a hole in the chain-link fence. Very Noo Yawk. 

Every day more than 4 million people pack themselves into subways, mostly at the bottom of deep tunnels, and at rush hours must stand through stop and go service. Homelessness is a problem both in the subways and on the streets.

CHAOS UNFOLDS IN NEW YORK CITY AFTER KNICKS WIN FIRST NBA CHAMPIONSHIP IN DECADES

Many folks live in tiny apartments, with small dens having to double as bedrooms, and pay mightily for the privilege.

And yet, as street crowds gathered across the five boroughs, they broke into a rendition of the Frank Sinatra song: "I want to be a part of it, New York, New York…"

Other cities, of course, have similar problems, so New York is just urban America writ large: Taller buildings, dirtier streets, piled-up garbage, more panhandlers, struggling schools, odious smells.

KNICKS FANS SEND NYC INTO CHAOS AFTER FRANCHISE REACHES FIRST NBA FINALS SINCE 1999

And the traffic is horrendous. Only Los Angeles is worse. Don’t show me any surveys, I know. Try getting into the Lincoln Tunnel.

That’s why authorities slapped a $9 entrance fee on anyone driving into Manhattan below 60th Street. And parking: Fugeddaboudit! 

Unfortunately, some thugs turned violent after the Knicks’ victory. There were 63 arrests, 10 cops injured, four people stabbed and a 17-year-old boy shot in the foot. That’s the dark side of New York, which coexists with places like Broadway and Fifth Avenue.

TEEN PUNCHED AND KICKED INTO A COMA AFTER KNICKS-SPURS ALTERCATION NEAR MADISON SQUARE GARDEN: POLICE

When I was based in New York, the biggest stories involved crime. Race riots. Murders. The Central Park Five. The Zodiac Killer. Al Sharpton got stabbed. 

Things are nowhere near as bad these days in the Apple and other cities, but there are still plenty of neighborhoods where you cross the street to avoid trouble. 

When I was leaving in 1990 to return to Washington, I wrote a magazine piece with Donald Trump on the cover. The hotel-builder’s tabloid exploits, breathlessly chronicled by the New York Post — this was even before "The Apprentice" – symbolized a culture in which readers thrive on celebrity gossip to distract them from the daily dreariness of their lives. He always called me back. I figured, well, I’ll never have to deal with this guy again.

STEPHEN A SMITH ELECTS NOT TO DUNK ON TRUMP FOLLOWING KNICKS NBA FINALS VICTORY

I was at Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals when Willis Reed limped onto the court for their first championship. I watched on TV in 1973 when the team, now with Earl the Pearl, won again. Little did I know there would be a half-century wait till the next one, so many years of so many awful teams.  

There’s also a heartwarming father-son tale, with Jalen’s dad, a journeyman player with the 1999 Knicks who lost the Finals to the San Antonio Spurs, being avenged — and the normally stoic younger Brunson dissolving into tears as they hugged. 

If you look at the history of movies and television shows, everyone loves a good comeback. And the Knickerbockers provided just that in this series.

WNBA COACH DOUBLES DOWN ON JALEN BRUNSON DOUBTS DESPITE KNICKS REACHING NBA FINALS

In every win, the team fell behind by double digits and clawed their way back — especially in Game 4, when the New Yorkers, despite a record-breaking 29-point deficit, won it in the final second with that now-famous tip-in by OG Anunoby. Saturday night’s clincher was also won in the final seconds.

Doesn’t that stir every youngster or former youngster who dreamed of hitting the last-inning homer or catching the winning touchdown pass?

It was also nice to see the immature, 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama, who acted like a creepy villain, miss the last shot in each of the last two contests.

KNICKS SURVIVE TO TAKE 2-0 NBA FINALS LEAD AFTER JALEN BRUNSON'S CLUTCH SHOT SINKS SPURS

I know, it’s only a game. There will be other games, other sports, other heroes. 

But this one touched a raw nerve because the Knicks, who won 13 straight, were always coming from behind, fueled by a beautiful passing offense, and were written off as lucky overachievers who would wilt like fading flowers when facing a "real" tough team.

Haven’t all of us, at some time or another, felt disrespected and disregarded by clueless bosses? 

Start spreading the news…

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I was born into a family that believed in God, loved America and taught that every human being possesses human dignity. Long before prejudice and identity-based politics became fixtures of American life, I learned a simple truth that guided my family’s work and shaped the civil rights movement itself: we are one blood, one human race.

My family background is very diverse. My grandmother’s family came from the west coast of Africa. My grandfather’s family came from Ireland. My mother’s family included Cherokee roots. I have spent my entire life living the reality that America is not a collection of competing tribes. America is one people under God.

My uncle, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., did not dedicate his life to teaching Americans to see one another as permanent enemies. He did not divide people into categories of oppressors and oppressed. He called us to a higher standard — to judge one another by character, to pursue justice without hatred and to recognize our shared humanity under God.

That is why I am deeply concerned by the growing industry of division that has taken root in America — and by the role the Southern Poverty Law Center has played in fueling it.

DR. BEN CARSON: I KNOW HOW BAD THE SPLC WAS, IT CAME AFTER ME AND PUT ME AT RISK

For decades, the SPLC has positioned itself as a leading authority in the fight against hatred and extremism. Yet recent allegations detailed in a federal superseding indictment raise serious questions about whether the organization has lived up to the principles it claims to defend.

According to those allegations, individuals associated with organizations that the SPLC itself labeled as extremist or hate groups allegedly received substantial payments over many years. The indictment describes hundreds of thousands, and, in at least one case, more than a million dollars, in payments to sources connected to White supremacist, neo-Nazi and Ku Klux Klan organizations.

These allegations deserve careful scrutiny.

SPLC SCANDAL UNDERSCORES HOW THE DEMAND FOR RACISM OUTSTRIPS THE SUPPLY | BOBBY BURACK

Americans who faithfully donate their hard-earned money to combat racism and hatred deserve transparency and accountability. Many of those donors are sincere people who believe they are supporting a noble cause. They have the right to know how their donations have been used and whether the organizations they support are practicing the values they publicly preach.

The concerns extend beyond financial questions. For years the SPLC and similar organizations have helped cultivate a worldview that teaches — especially young people — to see our nation through the lens of permanent racial conflict. Rather than emphasizing reconciliation, shared citizenship and common humanity, they too often reinforce the idea that Americans are defined primarily by their differences.

This is not the vision that inspired the civil rights movement. It is certainly not the vision that inspired Uncle M.L.

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As my uncle taught, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

I know something about being labeled. For years, I have been characterized in ways that bear little resemblance to who I am or what I believe — I have even been labeled by the SPLC itself! So let me be clear: I reject racism. I reject hatred. I reject White supremacy. I reject any ideology that seeks to elevate one group above another.

The answer to racism is not more division. The answer is truth and love.

Today, I still have a dream that Americans will see one another not as enemies, but as neighbors. Acts 17:26 tells us that we are one blood. Science testifies that we are one human race. If we remember this core truth, we can build a future worthy of the sacrifices made by those who came before us.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ALVEDA KING

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Two Detroit sisters, including one who was nine months pregnant at the time, are accused of stabbing a worker at a Detroit chicken restaurant during a wrong-order dispute, with prosecutors alleging one sister stabbed the employee and that the women attempted to throw hot grease, pans and other items at her.

Brianna and Kierianna Long now face several charges in connection with the May 30 incident, including assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to local reports. Both women have pleaded not guilty.

The two sisters entered the restaurant, ran behind the counter and attacked the 23-year-old employee after they were given a wrong order, prosecutors said, according to the outlet.

MICHIGAN ATHLETE LURED BY SNAPCHAT MESSAGE BEFORE BEING SHOT, DUMPED IN LAKE WHILE STILL ALIVE

The sisters threw items at the employee, chased her through the restaurant, hit her with pots and pans, attempted to throw hot grease on her head and threatened to kill her, according to prosecutors.

"I'm going to kill you," one of the sisters allegedly said during the encounter, WDIV reported.

The employee was then stabbed in the stomach with a knife by Kierianna, prosecutors said.

The injured employee had to be taken to the hospital for surgery after she ran out of the restaurant and hid inside a stranger’s vehicle while calling for help.

Brianna, 29, and Kierianna, 26, fled the scene after the attack but were eventually arrested by police.

Defense attorneys attempted to dispute the allegations in court, arguing that the employee triggered the assault by saying that she did not "give a f---" about the food order error before throwing items including knives first during the incident.

ARMY VETERAN DIES MONTHS AFTER DOORDASH DRIVER ALLEGEDLY SUCKER PUNCHED HIM OVER SPEEDING COMPLAINT

Brianna, who was 9 months pregnant at the time of the incident, gave birth four days before her arraignment, her attorney said, ClickonDetroit reported. She pleaded with the judge by saying that she was innocent and had a 4-day-old baby at home.

Both sisters pleaded not guilty to the charges. Brianna was held on a $25,000 cash bond and Kierianna was held on a $100,000 cash bond.

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New York City's celebration of the Knicks' first NBA championship in more than 50 years was marred by gunfire in Times Square early Sunday morning that left a teenager hospitalized, according to the New York Police Department.

An NYPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital that officers responded to a shooting at approximately 2:01 a.m. near 42nd Street and Broadway. A 17-year-old male was shot once in the left foot and transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. Police said three persons of interest were taken into custody and a firearm was recovered at the scene.

The shooting came hours after thousands of Knicks fans flooded streets across Manhattan to celebrate the franchise's first NBA title since 1973.

The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday in Texas, capturing the franchise's first championship since 1973 and sparking jubilant scenes throughout the city.

KNICKS MIRACULOUSLY OVERCOME 29-POINT DEFICIT TO TAKE COMMANDING 3-1 LEAD IN NBA FINALS OVER SPURS

In the aftermath of the historic victory, some individuals were seen causing damage in videos circulating on social media.

One video appeared to show two people jumping onto the roof of an NYPD vehicle and smashing its windshield.

Another appeared to show individuals climbing on and entering school buses near Times Square.

A third video appeared to show NYPD officers tackling and arresting a Knicks fan as authorities attempted to disperse crowds.

Although the championship-clinching game was played thousands of miles away, police maintained a large presence around Madison Square Garden, the Knicks' home arena.

Ahead of the game, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged fans to celebrate responsibly if the Knicks secured the franchise's first NBA title in more than five decades.

"As we celebrate, be responsible, look out for one another, stay safe, be smart, and make this a night that reflects the very best of our city," Mamdani wrote on social media. "Let's go Knicks."

NYPD LIFTS BAN ON KNICKS WATCH PARTIES OUTSIDE MSG FOR GAME 1 OF NBA FINALS AFTER FANS WERE TOO ROWDY

Despite those calls, some celebrations turned disorderly after the final buzzer.

Officers in riot gear and on horseback worked to manage large crowds that poured into the streets following the win.

Additional videos posted online appeared to show police making arrests amid the celebrations.

The NYPD told Fox News Digital it expects to provide an update on the number of arrests later Sunday.

"We will advise total numbers later on in the day," an NYPD spokesperson said.

MICHAEL RAPAPORT SLAMS ZOHRAN MAMDANI OVER KNICKS POSTGAME CHAOS, VOWS 'NOT ON MY WATCH' AHEAD OF MAYORAL RUN

Emergency officials warned residents and visitors to expect road closures and traffic delays in the area surrounding Madison Square Garden.

Authorities also urged anyone celebrating to follow NYPD instructions.

Fox News Digital's Dan Zaksheske, Chantz Martin, Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here, and fans across North America are ready to cheer on their favorite teams.

And many young soccer fans will get the chance to cheer on those teams while standing on the grandest stage itself.

At every World Cup game, children between the ages of 6 and 10 will escort players onto the field before kickoff.

It's a tradition that dates back to 2002, when UNICEF and FIFA partnered for the "Say Yes for Children" campaign.

SCOTTISH FANS DRANK EVERY BEER ON FLIGHT TO U.S. AHEAD OF WORLD CUP

This year, FIFA's breakfast sponsor, but also the sponsor for the player escort program, is Quaker Oats. 

"Together, we teamed up with 30+ community organizations across 11 United States host cities to give 1,400 young people from underserved communities the chance to walk players onto the pitch," Quaker says in a press release.

In Atlanta, that community organization chosen for all eight World Cup games, is Soccer in the Streets. A nonprofit giving kids across the greater Atlanta area a chance to learn about soccer no matter their economic or social status. 

This year alone, 2,500 kids will benefit from Soccer in the Streets programs. 

"Access starts with making it free for all kids so that no one is, has a barrier of cost to playing this beautiful game," says Soccer in the Streets Executive Director Kaseem Ladipo.

Ladipo says with a partnership with Common Goal, another national organization, their free inner-city soccer league, StationSoccer is the official player escort at the World Cup games in Atlanta. 

FIFA IMPLEMENTS MANDATORY WATER BREAKS

Under StationSoccer, each soccer field is conveniently located near six different train stations across Atlanta.  

Ladipo says 150 of their players will be escorting players at the eight games at Atlanta Stadium.

"They'll have an opportunity to be hand in hand with a FIFA legend or soon-to-be FIFA legend."

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

Two of those 150 play at the West End location. 

"It’s definitely turned our household into a football household," says Erica Holloman-Hill, a mom of four boys who play for StationSoccer. 

Erica says she's still learning about the sport, but says her boys playing in this free league has helped them grow in more ways than she imagined. 

The youngest, Asun, is 8. Then Asir, 10; Asad, 12 and the oldest, Asim, 14. Erica named them the "A-team."

When asked what their favorite part of playing with each other is, Asad immediately said, "we get to teach each other skills, and we get to see how good they are."

Erica tells FOX when she first heard about the vision for StationSoccer, she was hesitant. But now her four boys are going strong two years in. 

And with the world's largest tournament in their backyard, her two youngest sons will get a chance of a lifetime. 

Under the Quaker Oats partnership, Asun and Asir were chosen to attend a ‘Breakfast Academy’ hosted by Quaker. 

"We learned a lot of things about the fine grains, whole grains, half grains, water, fruit and all the other stuff," says Asun. 

After learning about nutrition and showing great leadership on and off the pitch, Asun and his brother Asir, were selected to walk alongside players at the South Africa vs Czechia game on June 18th at Atlanta Stadium. 

Asir says he's excited, but also, "a little bit kind of nervous because I never escorted anyone."

He says every day he's thinking about being on the pitch, but even when he's not awake. 

"I think about it in my sleep, too."

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New York City erupted in celebration after the Knicks won their first NBA championship in more than 50 years, but some festivities quickly turned chaotic as police made arrests and reports of vandalism surfaced across Manhattan.

The Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday in Texas, capturing the franchise's first championship since 1973 and sparking jubilant scenes throughout the city.

In the aftermath of the historic victory, some individuals were seen causing damage in videos circulating on social media.

One video appeared to show two people jumping onto the roof of an NYPD vehicle and smashing its windshield.

KNICKS MIRACULOUSLY OVERCOME 29-POINT DEFICIT TO TAKE COMMANDING 3-1 LEAD IN NBA FINALS OVER SPURS

Another appeared to show individuals climbing on and entering school buses near Times Square.

Although the championship-clinching game was played thousands of miles away, police maintained a large presence around Madison Square Garden, the Knicks' home arena.

Ahead of the game, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged fans to celebrate responsibly if the Knicks secured the franchise's first NBA title in more than five decades.

"As we celebrate, be responsible, look out for one another, stay safe, be smart, and make this a night that reflects the very best of our city," Mamdani wrote on social media. "Let's go Knicks."

NYPD LIFTS BAN ON KNICKS WATCH PARTIES OUTSIDE MSG FOR GAME 1 OF NBA FINALS AFTER FANS WERE TOO ROWDY

Despite those calls, some celebrations turned disorderly after the final buzzer.

Officers in riot gear and on horseback worked to manage large crowds that poured into the streets following the win.

Additional videos posted online appeared to show police making arrests amid the celebrations.

The NYPD told Fox News Digital it expects to provide an update on the number of arrests later Sunday.

"We will advise total numbers later on in the day," an NYPD spokesperson said.

MICHAEL RAPAPORT SLAMS ZOHRAN MAMDANI OVER KNICKS POSTGAME CHAOS, VOWS 'NOT ON MY WATCH' AHEAD OF MAYORAL RUN

Emergency officials warned residents and visitors to expect road closures and traffic delays in the area surrounding Madison Square Garden.

Authorities also urged anyone celebrating to follow NYPD instructions.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Fox News Digital's Dan Zaksheske and Chantz Martin contributed to this report.

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President Donald Trump on Saturday made an 11th-hour endorsement in a crucial Senate race in battleground Georgia, which is among a handful that will likely decide if the GOP holds its slim majority in the chamber in November's midterm elections.

Trump endorsed Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a MAGA champion and strong supporter of the president, who is facing off in Tuesday's runoff election against former college football coach Derek Dooley, who has the support of popular conservative Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

The winner of the GOP Senate nomination will face off in the midterms against Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Republicans view Ossoff as the most vulnerable Senate Democrat seeking re-election and are heavily targeting the first-term senator.

Collins, who represents Georgia's 10th Congressional District, which is located between Atlanta and Augusta, is the son of the late Rep. Mac Collins, and is the founder and co-owner, along with his wife, of a trucking company.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

He and Dooley, a lawyer, a former University of Tennessee football coach and the son of legendary University of Georgia head football coach Vince Dooley, were the top two finishers in a crowded field of candidates that also included Rep. Buddy Carter. Since no one topped 50% in last month's primary, Collins and Dooley advanced to Tuesday's runoff election.

While Collins has long showcased his MAGA credentials and support for the president, Trump remained neutral in the Georgia primary and runoff election until now.

Meanwhile, Dooley is strongly backed by the term-limited Kemp, who is a lifelong friend. Kemp and his wife, Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp, have regularly appeared with Dooley on the campaign trail, and the governor's top political advisor is a senior consultant for Dooley's Senate bid.

GEORGIA GOP SENATE PRIMARY HEADS TO RUNOFF AS REPUBLICANS BATTLE TO UNSEAT OSSOFF

While Dooley has emphasized his outsider image and targeted Collins as a political insider, Collins has criticized him for a lack of political experience and for living outside of Georgia for much of his adult life.

Both candidates have some political baggage.

The House Ethics Committee has been investigating Collins over allegations he paid an intern in a district office who had a romantic relationship with his congressional chief of staff but who did not actually perform any work. Collins denied any wrongdoing and kept the staffer on his Senate campaign.

But the staffer was later fired by Collins after taking to social media on behalf of the campaign to mock the wife of a Dooley campaign advisor who attempted suicide after accusing Matt Lauer of rape. The social media post was deleted and Collins apologized, calling the tweet "despicable and unauthorized."

Dooley, over the past week, was reportedly accused of being part of a "pay to play" scandal involving brother Daniel Dooley, and the governor. Dooley and Kemp have denied any wrongdoing, but Democrats in the legislature requested an independent investigation.

While the Republicans have been battling for their party's nomination over the past year, Ossoff has built a powerful war chest that will give him a major fundraising advantage as the general election gets underway.

While he isn't on the ballot, the president's immense clout over the GOP is also facing another key test in Georgia's other runoff, where Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is battling billionaire businessman Rick Jackson for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, in the race to succeed Kemp.

The brute force of the president's endorsement power has been on display in GOP primaries over the past month, with his candidates ousting incumbents he targeted in showdowns in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas that grabbed plenty of national attention.

But Trump's endorsement streak in statewide and congressional Republican primaries was snapped two weeks ago when his 11th-hour endorsement of Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa in the race to succeed retiring GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds wasn't enough to propel the three-term congressman to victory.

Feenstra was narrowly edged by Zach Lahn, a businessman, farmer and former political strategist who was backed by the political wings of MAHA — the acronym for the Make America Healthy Again movement aligned with Trump Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — and Turning Point USA, the powerful conservative organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk.

Trump rebounded last week, as the candidate he endorsed in the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, finished first in a crowded field and clinched one of the two tickets in the race for the nomination.

Meanwhile, longtime Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham did win a majority of the vote in the Republican Senate primary, and avoided a runoff.

Graham, who was endorsed by Trump, was facing primary challenges from five candidates, including conservative businessman Mark Lynch, who took aim at the senator over his support for the war in Iran. Lynch was backed by some MAGA leaders who have been critical of the president.

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