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NBA championship trophy to be displayed at the American Museum of Natural History
By
Sonia Rao
Published Jul 22, 2026
Modified Jul 22, 2026
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Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images
By
Sonia Rao
Published Jul 22, 2026
Modified Jul 22, 2026
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Knicks fever rages on.
Beginning this Monday, the American Museum of Natural History will display the Larry O’Brien Trophy bestowed upon the Knicks after their historic victory at last month’s NBA Finals. The 30-pound trophy, which is made of sterling silver and gold vermeil, depicts a life-sized basketball entering a hoop and features the names of every winning team since 1947.
The Knicks’ first championship win in 53 years has “brought the city together in really exciting ways,” AMNH President Sean M. Decatur said Wednesday in an interview with Gothamist. “It’s wonderful as a civic institution and an iconic part of the city’s museum landscape to be a part of that.”
The Larry O’Brien Trophy, which will be on display through Jan. 3, is named after the NBA commissioner from 1975 to 1984. (He was previously a prominent Democratic Party strategist who served as postmaster general and Democratic National Committee chair.) It will join other sports paraphernalia, such as the NFL’s Vince Lombardi Trophy and one of Jesse Owens’ gold medals from the 1936 Olympics, in the museum’s “For the Win” exhibit that highlights how precious metals and gems are used to celebrate achievements.
Decatur said the museum had always planned on showcasing the trophy; curators reached out to the NBA, along with several other professional sports leagues, when they started putting the exhibit together roughly two years ago. It was only recently that the temporary acquisition became locally significant.
“It’s an amazing coming together of a long-planned exhibit with this very special moment in New York history,” Decatur said.
The trophy won’t be the only object to celebrate the Knicks, either: The exhibit already included a basketball-shaped fob, or a decorative ornament worn with a pocket watch, that was given as a gift to former head coach Red Holzman after the Knicks’ NBA championship win in 1973.
The fob is a charming accessory, but no match for the orange clutch that Jordyn Woods brought to each game as a lucky charm for her fiancé, Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns. The Guggenheim displayed the purse last month, but only for five days; perhaps the AMNH will bring it back to complete its Knicks collection.
This story has been updated with new information.
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knicks
new york city
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Sonia Rao
Sonia Rao is a culture reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. She previously covered entertainment and breaking news at The Washington Post. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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