Karl-Anthony Towns had already experienced one unforgettable celebration this summer. But somehow, his wedding reception found a way to bring the New York Knicks’ historic championship back into the spotlight.
Towns and Jordyn Woods were married on August 15 in a glamorous outdoor ceremony in Malibu, California, surrounded by family, friends, celebrities and several members of the Knicks family. The wedding was already one of the biggest celebrity events of the summer, but the arrival of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy gave the reception an unmistakably New York feel.
And yes, this was the real trophy.
The Larry O’Brien Trophy was brought onto the dance floor during the reception. Guests reportedly sang “New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made” as Towns’ NBA friends and other guests gathered around the championship prize.
For Knicks fans, it was almost impossible to imagine a better way to connect Towns’ biggest basketball achievement with one of the biggest moments of his personal life.
Towns Had Plenty To Celebrate
The timing could hardly have been more perfect.
Just two months earlier, Towns had helped the Knicks win their first NBA championship since 1973. New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the 2026 NBA Finals, completing a historic run that ended one of the longest championship droughts in professional sports.
Towns celebrated that night with the Larry O’Brien Trophy in San Antonio, and the championship celebrations continued throughout New York in the days that followed.
The Knicks then held their championship parade on June 18, where Towns was again seen celebrating with the trophy as thousands of fans packed the streets.
So when the same trophy appeared at his wedding reception, it felt like a continuation of a remarkable summer rather than a random celebrity moment.
There was also a perfect personal connection. Towns’ father reportedly gave a toast during the wedding and joked that his son had won two rings in the same year: his NBA championship ring and the wedding ring he was giving Woods.
That is quite a year.
From Best Friends To Newlyweds
The wedding itself marked the latest chapter in Towns and Woods’ relationship.
The couple were friends before their relationship became romantic in 2020. Their relationship eventually became public, and after years together, Towns proposed to Woods in December 2025 at Overstory, a rooftop bar in New York City.
Their wedding followed less than two months after Towns helped the Knicks win the championship.
Interestingly, Towns had admitted shortly after winning the title that wedding planning had taken a back seat while he concentrated on basketball.
“I need to start planning. I need to start there. The only thing I’ve been planning this whole time was an NBA championship,” Towns said in June.
Looking back now, that comment makes the summer even more amusing.
He got the championship first.
Then came the wedding.
And somehow, both celebrations ended up sharing the same trophy.
The Trophy Was More Than A Prop
From a fan perspective, bringing the Larry O’Brien Trophy onto the dance floor was a fantastic touch because the championship represented far more than a piece of silverware.
For the Knicks, the 2026 title was the culmination of decades of frustration.
New York had not won an NBA championship since 1973, meaning an entire generation of fans had grown up without seeing their team reach the top of the league. When Towns and his teammates finally delivered, the celebration became bigger than basketball.
Towns was an important part of that story.
The center joined the Knicks in 2024 after spending the first decade of his NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves. By the end of his second season in New York, he had become an NBA champion.
That makes the wedding moment especially fitting. The trophy wasn’t simply being displayed at a celebrity wedding. It represented the achievement that had defined Towns’ professional life just weeks earlier.
A Star-Studded Celebration
The guest list was impressive enough without the championship hardware.
Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, Hailey and Justin Bieber, Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, Tracy Morgan, Jada Pinkett Smith and Michael B. Jordan were among the high-profile guests reported to have attended. Several NBA players, including Jalen Brunson and Chris Paul, were also there.
That mix of Hollywood, entertainment and basketball made the trophy moment even more memorable.
Towns’ NBA friends were reportedly on the dance floor alongside the other wedding guests.
It was essentially a Knicks championship celebration taking place inside a wedding reception.
And honestly, it is hard to think of a more fitting setting for Towns after the season he had just experienced.
Towns Is Already Looking Toward The Next Chapter
The celebrations will eventually fade, and Towns will have to turn his attention back toward basketball.
After finally winning his first NBA championship, the obvious question is whether the Knicks can defend their title and give Towns another opportunity to chase the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
That will be considerably harder.
Winning once is difficult. Staying at the top is even tougher, particularly when every opponent now knows exactly what New York is capable of.
But for now, Towns has earned the right to enjoy the moment.
He has gone from preparing for an NBA championship to celebrating one, then from celebrating that achievement to marrying Woods in front of family, friends and some of the biggest names in entertainment.
The Larry O’Brien Trophy showing up on the dance floor was the perfect symbol of that extraordinary stretch.
Towns didn’t just bring his championship memories into his wedding. For one unforgettable night, the Knicks’ historic title became part of the celebration too.
And if there is one thing Knicks fans can probably agree on, it is this: after waiting 53 years for another championship, nobody should blame Towns for wanting to keep that trophy close a little longer.