Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP | NBA/New Era
Pope Leo XIV is famously a Chicago sports fan, with photos of him in attendance at a Chicago White Sox World Series game in 2005 circulating on social media after he ascended to the papacy. As far as signs of being a “team of destiny” go, getting the support from one of the most prominent religious figures in the world needs to be near the top.
The Knicks don’t just have “vibes” on their side, though, as they’ve been historically dominant during their run to the Finals: The Knicks are the first team in NBA history to win three closeout games by 20-plus points in the same postseason, while their +262 point differential over their current 11-game winning streak is the largest in NBA history over an 11-game span — regular season or playoffs.
Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost (from left corner) with Ed Schmit and Schmit’s Grandson at a 2005 White Sox World Series game at U.S. Cellular Field, now Rate Field.#ChicagoHistory 🧦 pic.twitter.com/MGEDWRGEYq
— Chicago History ™️ (@Chicago_History) January 23, 2026
The excitement over the New York Knicks reaching their first NBA Finals since 1999 has extended all the way from the Big Apple to the Vatican, as a viral video on social media shows Pope Leo giving a thumbs up after an American shouted “Go Knicks!” at him.
Video from the Vatican shows Pope Leo giving a deliberate thumbs up after an American basketball fan yelled “Go Knicks!” at him
Despite being a Chi-Town native, though, it appears as though Leo is rooting for the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Pope Leo gives a thumbs up to the Knicks!
(via robbydlash/IG) pic.twitter.com/VPWbcmSqtz
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) May 28, 2026
Former Villanova basketball coach Jay Wright, a devout Christian who coached Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart when they were in college, certainly love to see the Pope giving the Knicks his godly seal of approval.
Love it ! pic.twitter.com/QtJqsOB0NW
— Jay Wright (@CoachJayWright) May 28, 2026
The NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and either the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder (who lead the Western Conference Finals 3-2 entering tonight’s Game 6) will tip off from either OKC or San Antonio on Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 p.m. EST.
Whomever the 3-seed Knicks face in the NBA Finals, the sports books will likely have them as underdogs.