In the Igbo tribe of Nigerian culture, Ogugua is often associated with one who brings tranquility and comfort. That is exactly what Madison Square Garden saw on Wednesday as Knicks fans chanted the name of the former three-star prospect. It was the same quiet player from London who etched his name into history on Wednesday by chasing down the miss. And in an unprecedented display of civic gratitude for OG Anunoby, two New York City boroughs stood in recognition of him.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal was not joking. He showed the official document, signed and sealed, in a mayoral-stamped proclamation declaring Thursday, June 11, 2026, as “OG Anunoby Appreciation Day” across the borough. While sharing the official document on X, Hoylman-Sigal lauded the forward’s transition to local hero status.

“In my power as Manhattan Borough President, I have declared today OG Anunoby Appreciation Day in Manhattan,” Hoylman-Sigal posted on X.

The official proclamation formally and publicly commended Anunoby for distinguishing himself as “one of the premier two-way players in professional basketball,” specifically praising his “exceptional defensive abilities, athleticism, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence both on and off the court.”

Simultaneously, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella wanted to personally express his appreciation for Anunoby.

“Last night proves once again anything is possible, you’re never out of it, especially the Knicks this year,” Fossella said in a video posted to social media. “Here in Staten Island, we celebrated from St. George to Tottenville to everywhere in between. So as a result, June 10, 2026, will forever be known as OG Anunoby Day.”

He ended his message by offering an invitation to the entire Knicks roster, with OG to receive a Staten Island hero’s welcome.

This is only the surface. Fans across social media are already pitching ideas for a commemorative statue of Anunoby on Liberty Island. Well, he did put the Knicks in the driver’s seat of the series. If that 53-year-old drought ends, those statues are coming.

OG Anunoby’s heroics saved the Knicks’ series

The political honors can’t summarize the mind-blowing clutch sequence OG Anunoby engineered in the final moments of Game 4. Down 29 points at halftime, it was the miracle of miracles when Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby turned the game around. While Brunson carried the initial scoring burden with a 36-point masterpiece, Anunoby single-handedly, literally and figuratively, saved the season on both ends of the floor during the fourth quarter.

With 16 seconds left in the game and the Knicks trailing by a single point, the Spurs’ De’Aaron Fox had the ball and should’ve dribbled out the clock. Instead, he went for a layup. Those defensive abilities listed in the Manhattan borough proclamation were on full display when Anunoby got in front of the shot to block it, sending Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden into a frenzy.

Because of Fox’s “bonehead” mistake, as it’s been described, the possession landed in New York’s hands. With less than two seconds left in the game, Jalen Brunson went for a three while a crowd of Knicks and Spurs players was under the post. The ball hit the rim, but OG once again leapt above the band of Spurs defenders to tip the ball in. That two-point tip wasn’t just the game-winner to end it 107-106. He saved New York’s entire series by preventing the Spurs from tying it. Karl-Anthony Towns rightfully declared it the “right hand of God.” Even the head coach was impressed.

“I don’t know if there was a play bigger than (that) in the history of Knicks basketball,” Mike Brown said. “That was a huge offensive rebound. Huge offensive rebound. He took on the challenge, and he went and won the game for us, doing exactly what I called him out for during shootaround today.”

By pairing his efficient 33-point offensive explosion with game-winning heroics, Anunoby has put the Knicks just one win away from their first NBA championship since 1973. As the team boards a flight to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday, they do so backed by a city that has already rewritten its calendar to honor its hero.