Knicks star Tyler Kolek responds after awkward parade encounter with NYPD goes viral
Police tried to remove Knicks player from his own championship parade
Published June 19, 2026
New York Knicks player Tyler Kolek has broken his silence after he was nearly arrested by New York Police Department (NYPD) personnel at the champions parade today, June 18.
Officials briefly stopped the Nicks' point guard as he engaged with fans at the parade in the streets of Manhattan, to celebrate the National Baseball Association (NBA) championship win after 53 long years. Police confused the player with a fan.
The 25-year-old athlete later took to X and reacted to the incident. Quoting a tweet about the 6'2 player almost getting tackled by the police, Kolek wrote, “I swear I am on the team bro.”
The humorous response from the player sparked a wave of memes in the replies of his tweet. One fan wrote, “LET THEM LAY ANOTHER FINGER ON U DEMON ILL HOP IN THE CAR RN.”
Another chimed in, “Not knowing NBA Cup Hero Tyler Kolek should be a crime, Cop should have arrested himself.”
This comes as NYC celebrates the end to one of longest trophy droughts in NBA history. The celebration marks the first ticker-tape parade in Knicks history.
The franchise previously won NBA championships in 1970 and 1973, but neither title was celebrated with a parade through New York City.
The NYC government has described the event as one of the largest championship celebrations New York has ever hosted. Fans appeared ecstatic to honour their team.
