Josh Hart Responds To Knicks’ Back-To-Back Championship Doubters: ‘We’re Not Satisfied’

The Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought with the 2026 NBA title. So it is natural for most people to wonder whether they can repeat and win back-to-back rings. NBA champion Josh Hart acknowledges that most people don't believe the Knicks can win another championship in 2027.

During an appearance at the US Open quarterfinal tennis matchup between Alexander Zverev and Botic Van de Zandschulp, Josh Hart directly addressed critics who believe the Knicks cannot repeat their championship run in 2027.

"I don't think we have a big target (on our back) because I don't think anyone is picking us to win again. So we're using it as fuel; we're still the hunters. We're not satisfied with one; the next goal is to get another. So we're the hunters, and we like playing that game," Hart said.

He also said this current Knicks roster has so much team chemistry that even non-New Yorkers respect them.

"For us, it's about helping each other. We all are high-character guys, and we realized that if everyone is willing to sacrifice, you don't have egos, and you're not selfish, then you're going to get far. You're going to get where you want to be at the end of the season," Hart added .

Several analysts and media voices argue that the Knicks had an easy route to the NBA championship in 2026. They faced inexperienced teams like the Hawks and the Spurs , and two solid teams (the 76ers and the Cavaliers ) right after grueling seven-game series in earlier rounds, giving them a fatigue-related advantage because they had more time to rest.

Moreover, they reached the NBA Finals without facing any of the top two seeds in the East (the Pistons and the Celtics ), so arguably they did not face any team that had proven they were better than them in the regular season (except the Spurs , who lacked playoff experience).

So it is understandable that critics are skeptical of the Knicks' hopes of repeating this championship run. But Josh Hart believes that the Knicks have what it takes to prove the doubters wrong.

Josh Hart is coming off a solid 2025-26 season in which he averaged 11.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 85 games played (including the playoffs). He shot 49.1% from the field and 39.0% from the three-point line.

Hart's comments suggest that he feels the key to the Knicks' success is their willingness to sacrifice. This summer, Hart may have to sacrifice once again off the court as the Knicks look to retain their championship-winning core while approaching the second apron .

The 31-year-old is eligible for a $132 million contract extension this summer, but reports suggest he could accept a $54 million contract to allow the Knicks to retain financial flexibility to keep the team together. That would be a $78 million sacrifice for the team.

If the Knicks manage to retain their championship core and keep them happy without breaching the second apron, they do have a chance to prove critics wrong. But if the second apron woes force the front office to make a major move, it could hurt the Knicks' championship hopes.

Therefore, it will certainly be interesting to see how the Knicks plan their championship defense in the coming 2026-27 season.