The New York Knicks' 2024-25 campaign was unparalleled to others in recent memory.
The Knicks finished the regular season with a 51-31 record (their best mark since 2012-13), and they made their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years. Yet they came agonizingly close to claiming a spot in the championship series, falling in seven games to the Indiana Pacers.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who the Knicks acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the season beginning, made an impact during his first year in the Big Apple, landing a spot on the All-NBA Third Team and appearing in the league's All-Star Game.
He also expressed confidence in the Knicks' chances of staying in the championship conversation next year and beyond. But before the Knicks can reach the NBA's mountaintop, all the team's players must possess a certain characteristic, Towns said.
"We have a chance to win a championship, and that's only going to really happen if everyone's connected," Towns said during a live taping of the "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast on July 15. "Everyone has to be fully invested into each other and to our goals."
Towns said he has taken strides in that regard by developing a close relationship with newly-hired head coach Mike Brown, who is replacing Tom Thibodeau after five seasons in charge.
More connections will surely be made within the Knicks organization ahead of the regular season, as free agent signings Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele need time to acclimate to their new team. But Towns believes the Knicks have everything they need to win a title with the players already on the roster.
"We love our team. Our locker room is really good, and that's what makes us special," Towns said. "When your locker room's that connected and can't be bothered by any of the outside noise and stuff, that's when you have a championship team."