Knicks Superfan Michelle Musler Missed 2026 Title After Dying at 81 in 2018

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 15

Michelle Musler — the longtime courtside Knicks superfan seated behind the bench for more than 40 years — died of cancer in 2018 and was not alive to see the franchise’s 2026 championship.
Game 4 of the NBA Finals, described as the Knicks’ greatest comeback, underscored the title run she had long waited for through decades of commuting from Stamford, Connecticut, to Madison Square Garden.
Musler was known around the team and media as a sharp observer and confidante, building friendships with players, coaches, employees and reporters while also raising five children and later running an executive-training business.
Her death came weeks before her 82nd birthday, after years of lamenting owner James Dolan’s stewardship and fearing she would miss the Knicks’ next realistic shot at a title.