NEW YORK (WABC) -- It's estimated that over one million people celebrated the Knicks on Thursday as the Parade of Champions honored the team's first NBA championship since 1973.
Following the parade, Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted a championship celebration and Key to the City ceremony on City Hall Plaza.
After the ceremony, Alicia Keys sang her iconic hit "Empire State of Mind."
The ticker-tape parade was a first for the Knicks, who did not celebrate with the famed tradition during their last wins in 1970 or 1973.
The celebration comes after an awe-inspiring playoff run which saw the Knicks secure the team's first NBA title in more than 50 years with a 4-1 series win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Members of the NBA Finals winning New York Knicks team were spotted on a float at the Parade of Champions.
They rode up the Canyon of Heroes to the cheers of New York City.
Other stars and players had custom vehicles to escort them in the parade.
Jeremy Sochan, a former San Antonio Spurs player and a current Knicks player carried the Larry O'Brien trophy into the parade.
Nina Pineda talks to a father and his young son bonding over this historic moment for the Knicks and New York City:
Karl Anthony Towns and other Knicks players arrived Thursday morning at the Parade of Champions.
Owner James Dolan was also spotted arriving at the festivities to celebrate the team's big NBA Finals win.
