OG Anunoby finally got his paid-in-full championship moment Raptors fans waited for

Take a bow, the 2025-26 New York Knicks.

This is their moment, as they toppled the San Antonio Spurs in a 4-1 series, closing things out on June 13 in enemy territory to capture the 2026 NBA Championship.

Even though superstar Jalen Brunson took home the Finals MVP award in a unanimous sweep, OG Anunoby's role in the Knicks' commanding route to the title cannot be ignored. In the five-game Finals sample, the ex-Raptor put up 21.2 points on 52.5 percent field goal shooting, including 50.0 percent from three, along with 4.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks.

Seeing Anunoby shine as a key component of his title squad is certainly a moment years in the making, and honestly, it seems like the universe looked to right this wrong too as he raises a second Larry O'B exactly seven years to the day.

When the Raptors embarked on their iconic 2019 championship run, OG Anunoby was unfortunately sidelined due to an emergency appendix injury. As a result, the talented two-way player couldn’t fully contribute on the court, and Raptors fans missed out on seeing what OG could do on the big stage.

That being said, no one can take that 2019 chip away from Anunoby, as he was still part of the team and contributed during the regular season. However, having a tangible impact in a spirited Finals run, I'd bet that's what almost every NBA player lives for.

OG Anunoby earned this championship moment with the Knicks

On the road to the 2026 NBA title, Anunoby definitely cemented his place in history with the ultimate highlight that Knicks fans will cherish forever. He tipped in a crazy game-winning basket to help New York steal Game 4 and complete the greatest comeback in Finals history. In the aftermath of that frenzy, Anunoby spoke to the media and actually gave a shoutout to his former Raptors teammates for their support.

In his post-title win presser, OG was asked about the coincidence that June 13 marks another title win for him and whether it is the "luckiest day of his life." He responded, all smiles, saying, "June 13 is an amazing day," as Anunoby and even the reporter were both elated.

It's always great to see friendly faces from Raptors past find success. Last year, we almost saw that happen with Pascal Siakam, until they dropped a soul-crusher Game 7 to the OKC Thunder in the Finals. Still, that run was something fans in Toronto could appreciate, and it’s mirrored once again here with OG Anunoby — only this time, an even better outcome.

Although I will admit, it stings just a little to see these guys leave Toronto and find success with rival teams. In an alternate universe, the Raptors could have figured out how to work around Siakam, OG, and Barnes. Then again, hindsight is always 20/20, and that experiment wasn’t looking so hot when they tried it — so it just seemed right to let those guys move on to greener pastures.

Perhaps the OG for RJ and IQ trade will be viewed with different perspectives over time, as more layers are added to the story. Who knows how Barrett (we got a big offseason for that ahead) and Quickley's futures with the Raptors will turn out, or if they leave, what new moving pieces in the overarching trade will come over?

But overall, I don’t think you can be bitter or sour about a former Raptors player winning another championship. Like my Raptors Rapture colleague Daniel O'Connor wrote a few weeks back, we should "watch with pride, not regret."

Honestly, he's probably the one from that 2019 squad who deserved a second shot at glory more than anyone else, even though that entire roster will forever hold a special place in Raptors fans' hearts. A famous "Fun Guy" once said: "Enjoy this. Enjoy this moment and have fun with it." Leave it to the equally robotic OG Anunoby to fill in the quote with an appropriate laugh. What a crazy season it was and now we move to the chaos of an NBA summer.

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