Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan can't lose the NBA Finals after playing for both remaining teams
Jeremy Sochan Finds Himself in a Rare Championship‑Dual‑Team Situation
The 2025‑26 NBA playoffs have delivered one of the most unusual storylines in recent memory. New York Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan, a 23‑year‑old power forward, has the rare opportunity to add an NBA championship to his resume with two different franchises in the same season.
Sochan began the season with the San Antonio Spurs, the team that selected him in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. After just a few months of playing for the Spurs, he was traded to the Knicks early in the 2025‑26 campaign. The trade gave him a second chance to compete for a title, a chance that has turned into a unique safety net that only a handful of players have ever enjoyed.
During the first round of the playoffs, Sochan was a role player off the bench for the Knicks, providing “energy” in short bursts off the substitute line. That role grew in importance as the Knicks surged through the Eastern Conference and reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. New York’s victory in Game 2 of the Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers – a hard‑fought 109‑87 win that snapped a 53‑year title drought for the franchise – sparked a heated exchange between Sochan and 76ers center VJ Edgecombe in the post‑game locker room.
The exchange was a brief flare‑up, but it underscored the intensity of the Finals. Sochan’s presence, however, has gone beyond the heat of competition. The league’s customary practice means that any player who has logged a minimum number of games with a team during the regular season is eligible for a championship ring if that team wins the title. Because Sochan played for both the Spurs and the Knicks during the 2025‑26 season, he stands in an enviable position: if the Knicks win the championship, he will celebrate alongside his current teammates and the city’s fans; if the Spurs capture the title instead, the Spurs are still likely to award him a ring in recognition of his contributions earlier in the year.
Sochan himself has expressed a desire to see New York take home the trophy. “I love the city, I love the team, I love the energy we’re creating,” he told reporters after Game 2. “I’ve been working hard all season and I just want the Knicks to win it all.”
The Knicks’ run to the Finals has been a story of resilience and chemistry. Their path included sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, and then pushing the 76ers in a four‑game series that saw the Knicks’ defense step up when it mattered most. With Sochan now on the roster, the Knicks’ bench depth has strengthened, giving coach Tom Thibodeau an extra option on both offense and defense.
If the Knicks succeed, Sochan will join the ranks of players who have won titles with multiple teams in the same season—a rare club that includes a handful of other veterans who have been traded mid‑season. If the Spurs win, it would be one of the rare instances where a player is awarded a championship ring by a former team after moving mid‑season.
As the series progresses, all eyes will be on the Knicks’ performance and on Sochan’s role in the next two games. The stakes are high not only for the franchise but for the player, whose career path has taken him from San Antonio to the Big Apple in a single season and now places him on the cusp of championship glory with either franchise.
The 2025‑26 NBA Finals are shaping up to be more than just a battle between New York and Philadelphia. They may also be the stage for one of the league’s most unique roster‑journey narratives.
