The New York Knicks raise their championship banner tonight at Madison Square Garden, and they are doing it in gold. The team showed off its ring night uniform on Tuesday under the caption "gold standard": the home Association white, with the trim turned to metallic gold almost everywhere you look. We love it, and we are giving it an A+.
The back of Karl-Anthony Towns' ring night jersey. via the New York Knicks
What Is Gold on the Knicks' Ring Night Uniform
Here is everything that changed from the regular Association white, from the pictures the Knicks posted:
- The "NEW YORK" wordmark is gold. The letters on the chest are filled in shiny metallic gold, still outlined in Knicks blue and gray.
- The names and numbers are gold. The nameplate on the back, like TOWNS above, is metallic gold twill with gold stitching.
- A gold 2025-26 Champions patch sits on the back. It is a gold basketball with "2025-26" and "Champions" in black script, and the NBA logo below, placed between the collar and the nameplate.
- A gold "3" tag sits at the back of the collar. The small gold patch shows a basketball with a 3 on it, for the franchise's third championship after 1970 and 1973.
Bleacher Report also reported a script "Champs" embroidered on the jersey. The collar keeps its usual blue and orange stripes.
The gold "NEW YORK" on the front. via the New York Knicks
The gold "3" tag for title No. 3. via the New York Knicks
Here is the Knicks' full post:
Our Grade: A+
Jake Daneshgar, Founder and Editor in Chief: "I love this. I give it an A+. I'm happy the NBA is doing this again and really making it look special when a team wins the NBA championship."
The reason it works is restraint. The Knicks did not invent a new jersey for ring night. They took their home white, the one that has barely changed since 1973 (we put the two side by side here), and swapped the trim to gold. Gold already sits next to orange and blue without fighting it, so the jersey still reads as the Knicks from the top row of the Garden. The gold "3" at the collar is the best touch: you only see it up close, and it tells the whole story of the franchise in one number.
Ring Night: What the Knicks Wear and When
- When: Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The banner raising and ring ceremony start around 6:30 p.m. ET, with tipoff against the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
- Knicks: the gold-trimmed Association white above.
- 76ers: the royal blue Icon, with LeBron James making his regular season debut for Philadelphia.
- The banner: it goes up next to the 1970 and 1973 banners. Fans in the building get a "2026-27 Champions Night" shirt, and the plaza outside the Garden has been renamed Champions Plaza.
Every other Opening Night matchup is in our NBA Opening Night uniforms guide, and the rest of New York's season is in the Knicks 2026-27 uniform schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Knicks wearing for ring night?
The Knicks wear a gold-trimmed version of their white Association uniform for their October 20, 2026 ring night against the 76ers. The "NEW YORK" wordmark, names and numbers are metallic gold, a gold 2025-26 Champions patch sits on the back, and a gold "3" tag sits at the back of the collar.
Why do the Knicks have gold numbers?
Gold marks the Knicks as defending NBA champions. New York won the 2026 NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs in five games for its first title since 1973, and the gold trim is for the opener where the team receives its rings and raises the banner.
What does the 3 on the Knicks jersey collar mean?
The gold "3" tag at the back of the collar stands for the Knicks' third NBA championship. The franchise also won in 1970 and 1973.
What does the Knicks' championship patch say?
The patch on the back of the Knicks' ring night jersey reads "2025-26 Champions" in black script on a gold basketball, with the NBA logo underneath. It sits between the collar and the player's name.
Why does the patch say 2025-26 if the Knicks won in 2026?
NBA seasons span two calendar years. The Knicks won the title at the end of the 2025-26 season, in June 2026, so the patch names that season. That is also why the fan shirts say "2026-27 Champions Night": the ceremony opens the next season.
Who do the Knicks play on ring night?
The Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The ceremony starts around 6:30 p.m. ET and the game tips at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
What are the 76ers wearing against the Knicks?
The 76ers wear their royal blue Icon uniform at the Garden, according to the NBA's official uniform schedule.
How many championships have the Knicks won?
Three: 1970, 1973 and 2026.
Can you buy the Knicks gold championship jersey?
The gold ring night jersey is a game uniform for the ceremony. For fans, the Knicks and Fanatics have released 2026 championship shirts and hats, which we graded in our Knicks 2026 NBA champions hat and shirt review.
The Bottom Line
The Knicks waited 53 years for this banner, and they dressed for it without overdoing it: the same white uniform, now in gold, with a small "3" at the collar that says everything. A+.
