The Knicks’ championship celebration got cleared for takeoff.
The Knicks party continued aboard the team’s chartered Delta flight en route to New York hours after the team clinched its first championship in 53 years, air traffic control audio revealed.
“And if you can, tell those guys congratulations, enjoy the moment,” an air traffic controller, who cleared the team for takeoff out of San Antonio, is heard saying in newly released audio.
“Oh, they’re enjoying it back there; you probably can hear them,” replied one of the pilots as the team’s rowdy celebration can be heard in the background. “They’re having a good time, we’ll pass it on.
“The plane’s rocking, they’re having a party.”
The air traffic controller added that he wanted to pass along the well wishes before all the players “fell asleep,” but the newly minted NBA champions chose celebration over slumber.
As the team approached Westchester County Airport hours later, the flight was cleared for a scenic view of New York City which included flying over the Verrazzano Bridge and up the Hudson River.
That’s when another controller relayed a congratulatory message from all the local air traffic controllers.
“Please let the guys know, New York TRACON, LaGuardia tower, Kennedy tower, maybe even Newark tower and Westchester tower, we’re all running on about three or four hours of sleep but as happy as we could ever be,” the controller said. “Congrats.”
“They finally settled down about 30 minutes ago but before that, it was a pretty excited bunch back here,” the pilot replied.
“I believe we’re all excited here, we’re on our second box of coffee this morning,” the controller added.
“Go New York.”
New Yorkers across the city celebrated the Knicks’ win over the San Antonio Spurs all of Saturday night and into the wee hours of Sunday morning.
While there were 63 arrests stemming from some violent celebrations, the city became a sea of orange-and-blue bliss with some committing to naming their newborns after Knicks stars and a bus driver dancing with fans.
A parade is set for Manhattan on Thursday.
The Knicks landed back in New York after a roughly four-hour flight and were quickly given a heroes’ welcome, and even received a water cannon salute on the tarmac after landing, according to Front Office Sports.
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