Knicks End 53-Year Title Drought After Dolan Urged 10 Weeks of Abstinence

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 18

53 years after their last NBA title, the New York Knicks won the 2026 championship, with owner James Dolan’s playoff speech resurfacing after he urged players to avoid distractions for 10 weeks.
Dolan told the team in April to sacrifice sleep, diet and even sex to gain an edge, saying a title would be life-changing and joking that players should not tell partners the idea came from him.
Game 5 in San Antonio sealed the title, and Jalen Brunson celebrated with the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award after the Knicks beat the Spurs.
Modern research cited in the report found little evidence that consensual sex hurts strength, endurance or reaction time if it occurs at least 10 hours before competition, though activity very close to games may affect recovery.
Experts said abstinence can still help some athletes psychologically by reinforcing discipline and focus, but sleep, recovery, nutrition and supportive relationships remain the more reliable performance boosters.