Sochan an NBA Champion Without Stepping on Court

A rare situation in NBA history has taken the stage in the 2026 Finals. Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan has put his championship ring in his pocket before touching the ball in the Finals. The 22-year-old Polish talent started this season with the San Antonio Spurs in 28 games before being released in February 2026, then signed with the New York Knicks. The reality of today is this: one of the two teams that will meet in the NBA Finals is the team Sochan officially wore the jersey of this season — meaning whichever side wins, the player has the guarantee of receiving a ring.

The unusual situation made a great splash on social media. The NBA on Real account posted on Saturday with the title "Jeremy Sochan is an NBA champion," and the Sochan supporters from the Polish side summarized the situation with the message "Thank you Spurs, Thank you Knicks." According to the NBA's unwritten but years-applied tradition, a player who wears a jersey for a team in the regular season — even if traded or released later — can be rewarded with a ring by the club. This is not the obligation of clubs but their preference; however, it often becomes a practical formality.

Sochan's story was at a very different point at the beginning of this season. The young forward, picked 9th overall by the Spurs in the 2022 NBA Draft, was accepted as the future of the Texan club. He spent three and a half seasons with the Spurs, taking part in the last pages of the Greg Popovich era and the new era starting with Victor Wembanyama in 149 starts. In his first three seasons, he could maintain his double-digit scoring average in three different years. But in the 2025-26 season, Sochan fell into a redundant position in the team's rotation. He found time in only 28 matches, mostly as a reserve; the loss of value was clear compared to the start of the previous season. In February, before the trade deadline, he was released because no buyer could be found, and shortly after, signed a contract with the Knicks.

The Knicks carried the season on a different note. They passed Atlanta Hawks 4-1 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, taking the 5th game played at Madison Square Garden with a 126-97 difference. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they swept Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. At the end of 1999 — that is, 27 years ago — it was again the Spurs against the Knicks in another NBA Finals. History brought the same matchup before us this year, and as part of the roster that carried the Knicks to the final in Game 5, Sochan was on the New York jersey. It is stated that he took less time during the Eastern playoffs but added important defensive value.

The Spurs played a legendary 7-match series with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. In Game 7, Wembanyama's team beat the Thunder at the Paycom Center, turning the rebuilding period of recent years into a half-revival with three championships since 1999 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014). Sochan's emotional bond with the Spurs is also a well-known note: Wembanyama had dyed his hair blonde at the beginning of his rookie season — in respect to Sochan's signature look at that time. The two players had formed a close friendship in the Spurs team. Now they will play against each other on the same court — one in New York, the other in San Antonio colors.

A similar situation had occurred in history in 2016. Anderson Varejão had worn the jerseys of both Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in the 2015-16 season. When the Cavs beat the Warriors 4-3 in the final that year, his former club offered Varejão a ring. The Brazilian center refused the offer — "It doesn't feel right," he said. Whether Sochan will accept the same position is still unclear. Until now, the Polish player has not made a clear statement about which team he would support, but he will fight for his own team at Madison Square Garden as he comes to the final with the Knicks jersey. The Spurs supporters are at -200 favourites according to FanDuel; the betting world sees San Antonio as the priority.

Looking at Sochan's personal career, the 22-year-old forward already carries an interesting biography. The player, who played for the Polish national team, played college basketball at Baylor University in the US for one season and won the 2022 Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year title. He was drafted to the NBA the same year. He was known as a different character from the colored dyes on his hair to his game; he added colour to the Spurs' defensive identity. He is in the position of one of the most well-known players in Polish basketball history of this period; his participation with the national team is also one of the important side branches of his career.

In the coming weeks, Sochan will look at the finals as the only name winning on both sides. If the Knicks embrace the championship after 27 years, Sochan will go on stage with his own team; if the Spurs take back the throne under Wembanyama's leadership, a package will come from his former club. One of the most unusual championship ring stories in NBA history — written before the final.

Image: sportskeeda.com