Speaking before a crowd that included teammates Karl‑Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson, former Knick Carmelo Anthony and filmmaker Spike Lee, Hart said the team is "tired of hearing the congratulations" and wants to "put the work in, grow, build and see where we are at the end of the year."
Hart’s remarks came during the high‑profile event hosted by jeweler David Yurman, which celebrates athletes’ off‑court contributions while highlighting the personal legacies they hope to leave for future generations.
The Knicks return to training camp with virtually the same roster that captured the championship, with the only significant departure being center Mitchell Robinson. The continuity is intended to give the squad a chance to improve on the previous season’s success.
The NBA’s recent history underscores the difficulty of repeating a title: eight different champions have been crowned in the past eight seasons, reflecting an era of parity that the Knicks will need to break if they hope to become the first repeat champion of the decade.
Adding to the challenge, the Eastern Conference has been reshaped by major player movements: LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now suit up for the Philadelphia 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo has joined the Miami Heat, Paul George teams with a fully healthy Jayson Tatum on the Boston Celtics, and Tyrese Haliburton is back in action for the Indiana Pacers.
With training camp set to begin in just under two weeks, Hart emphasized that the team’s focus has shifted from celebration to preparation, signaling a collective resolve to compete against a newly stacked conference and to prove that the Knicks can buck the league‑wide trend of single‑season champions.