Leon Rose was hired by the New York Knicks in 2020 and refused to settle for merely making them respectable again.

The former agent was signed as team president after a 25-year career at CAA Sports, where he represented stars such as Allen Iverson and LeBron James. Rose understood talent, valued relationships, and knew the risks required to build a championship team. Six years later, the Knicks won the NBA title because he was willing to trust those instincts.

New York has finished at least 10 games above .500 in five of Rose’s six seasons, culminating in the franchise’s first championship in 53 years. The progress came gradually, with consecutive Eastern Conference semifinals appearances followed by a trip to the conference finals and, finally, the title. Their regular-season win total climbed from 37 in 2022 to 47, 50, 51, and 53 this past year as Rose kept reshaping the roster to cover its weaknesses.

None of New York’s five starters arrived through the draft which is quite unusual, especially in today’s NBA where the salary cap is more strictly observed. Rose acquired each through a signing or trade, eventually making the ultimate win-now gamble by exchanging the Knicks’ future assets for a team capable of winning immediately.

His most important decision came in 2022, when he signed Dallas Mavericks reserve Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract. Rose had hired Brunson’s father, former Knick Rick Brunson, as an assistant coach a month earlier, then immediately placed the franchise in Jalen’s hands.

The move was far from an obvious success at the time. Brunson had not even been a full-time starter in Dallas, and many viewed the contract as an overpay. He instead became a three-time All-Star and has averaged 26.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists across his first 284 regular-season games with New York before leading the Knicks to a championship and winning Finals MVP.

Among the 58 Finals MVP winners in NBA history, 42 won the award while playing for the franchise with which they spent their rookie season. Brunson became only the 16th to win it elsewhere, rewarding Rose for seeing a franchise player where others saw a useful starter at best.

Rose then surrounded him with players who complemented his game and personality. Josh Hart, Brunson’s former Villanova teammate, appeared destined for a journeyman career when New York became his fourth team in six seasons earlier in 2022. Three and a half seasons later, Hart has found a home, with his relentless effort making him one of the most beloved Knicks.

The December 2023 trade for OG Anunoby required Rose to give up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, two fan favorites who had grown up with the team. Barrett was also the No. 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, making the decision even more difficult. The deal now looks like a heist after Anunoby emerged as New York’s second-best player on several nights during the championship run and hit the Game 4 tip-in that completed a comeback from 29 points down.

Rose took an even larger swing for Mikal Bridges in July 2024, surrendering Bojan Bogdanović, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite, five future first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and a second-rounder. The enormous price continues to hound Bridges, but it also became a source of motivation as he played an important role in the title run.

The move that finally turned New York into a true championship contender was the trade for All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns. Rose parted with Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, and a future first-round pick as part of the three-team deal, with several other players and second-round picks sent to Charlotte. Randle had helped restore relevance to the franchise, while the scrappy DiVincenzo was another fan favorite, but Rose again chose improvement over sentimental value. 

Towns’ elite shooting and willingness to evolve his game for the greater good of the team was crucial in their championship run and there is no way they could have won it all without him.

With the exception of the Hart trade, each of these moves that Rose made carried the risk of public failure. Brunson could have remained a role player. Anunoby could have stagnated. Bridges could have been crushed by the pressure of being traded for five first-round picks. Towns could have been more selfish and demanded that the offense revolve around him.

Instead, every gamble brought the Knicks closer to the championship Rose envisioned. He remained patient enough to build in stages but bold enough to act when the right opportunity appeared. New York did not end its 53-year drought with patience, protecting every draft pick, avoiding uncomfortable decisions, or waiting for a perfect move. Rose built a champion because he trusted his gut and was willing to bet big—and kept getting those bets right.