Add The New York Post on Google The lines outside the NBA Store snaked around the block in Midtown Monday, as Knicks merchandise has become the Big Apple’s biggest commodity following the teams historic NBA championship.
Thousands of diehard fans waited anxiously outside the Fifth Avenue retailer for over an hour for a slim shot at any remaining Knicks gear — still a better bet than ordering team merchandise online, which would mean the deliveries won’t come for at least a month.
“The line is an hour and a half,” Brooklyn fan Ron JN Baptist told The Post. “By the time I got in there there were no finals jerseys, no patches, they were all sold out! I wanted the patches! I came for the patches! They said they were getting more in by Wednesday or Thursday.”
Knicks fever continues to sweep the New York metro area after the team beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games to bring home its first NBA championship since 1973, led by finals MVP guard Jalen Brunson.
“I came for the Brunson jerseys, the patches and hats for my son,” South Ozone Park resident Paul Seepaul said. “I bought some stuff online but July 20 was the earliest they could get it to us and I plan to take my son to the parade on Thursday.”
The scheduled ticker-tape parade for the champs down the Canyon of Heroes could be the largest in the city’s history, Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters on Monday.
Fans outside the NBA Store, where the line stretched around the corner and onto Madison Avenue, said they were hoping to suit up in Knicks merch for the parade — but it got harder and harder to find gear.
Ed L., 55, Flushing Qns resident, works at Citi Field in the warehouse.
“I had to come here because online you have to wait until next month,” said a Flushing resident who only identified himself as Ed L. “The 26th of July was the earliest delivery I could get.”
Long Island construction contractor Will Crespo said he fared well, and even picked up three gold “championship chains” that he plans to wear for Thursday’s parade.
“I also bought hats,” Crespo said. “I bought a t-shirt, but they ran out of the sizes of the … finals shirt I wanted. And the hats, they ran out of the ones with the champion patch on the side.
“There was just too much mayhem in there.”
