The third edition of the Emirates NBA Cup was won by the New York Knicks, who defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the grand final, 124 to 113. Jeremy Sochan didn’t play

That day, I was able to watch the finals because I wasn’t refereeing, coaching, or reporting for the Premier League or Championship football games the next day. It was an incredible night with such a final, watching the game like it was back in the day when we were in high school or college. This final took me back to the good old days of waking up for classes after NBA games in the 1990s and 2000s.

The 2025 Emirates NBA Cup began on October 31st and ended on December 16th, 2025. This year, I watched the final at night in Bristol, England, because I watched the last one in Krakow. It was emotional watching the teams play in the final, including the Milwaukee Bucks and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who lost.

The New York Knicks were the 2025 NBA Cup champions. They defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the tournament final, which took place on December 16th, 2025, in Las Vegas.

The MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the final was Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.

Please note that the NBA Cup, also known as the Emirates NBA Cup, is an In-Season Tournament, not the league championship (NBA Finals). The 2024-2025 NBA champions were the Oklahoma City Thunder, who defeated the Indiana Pacers in the Finals in June 2025. The December Finals were played between the New York Knicks. They defeated the San Antonio Spurs when they had a real chance to win the NBA Cup, but lacked luck and better scoring that day in the final minutes.

The New York Knicks won the first NBA title in franchise history, and the venue for this game was T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks won the NBA Cup Tournament MVP.

The Knicks sealed the victory with a dominant fourth quarter, which they won 35-19. Jalen Brunson was named Most Valuable Player (MVP)

NBA Cup Winners’ History

The NBA Cup is an annual intraseason tournament. Here is the list of previous winners:

2023: Los Angeles Lakers (defeated the Indiana Pacers)

2024: Milwaukee Bucks (defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder)

2025: New York Knicks (defeated the San Antonio Spurs)