Knicks captain Brunson kisses Elmo plush at ticker-tape parade after feud

• Brunson kissed an Elmo plush at the Knicks' championship ticker-tape parade
• Elmo's neutral NBA post drew 27 million views and widespread fan fury
• Cookie Monster urged Elmo to pick a side after the backlash intensified

New York Knicks Captain Jalen Brunson offered a public act of forgiveness to Sesame Street's Elmo at the team's official championship ticker-tape parade on Thursday — bringing an unlikely feud to a wholesome close after weeks of online fury directed at the furry red monster.

Variety filmed Brunson on his parade float holding up and kissing an Elmo plush toy bearing a cardboard sign reading, "Forgive me PLEASE," as he stood beside the NBA championship trophy.

How the feud started

The controversy began earlier this month when Elmo posted a video on his official social media account that read, "Elmo hopes both teams have fun!" alongside four basketball emojis — a reference to the NBA playoff series between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. The post amassed 27 million views on X, where fans swiftly roasted the character for refusing to pick a side.

The reaction was fierce. "A rotten individual fueled by resentment, ego, and emotional dysfunction," one user replied. "They imitate confidence, manipulate for attention, and drag others into their chaos because misery is the only thing they know how to spread. F—kk you elmo."

Elmo attempts damage control

Elmo tried to walk back the post with a follow-up message on X: "KNICKS that last message! Elmo didn't mean to SPUR you on!" He also addressed the controversy on the red carpet, telling E! News, "Elmo has learned that he should not pick favorites for online consumption."

The apology did little to cool the temperature. After the Knicks defeated the Spurs in Game 5 on 13 June and millions of New Yorkers flooded the streets in celebration, Elmo's reputation remained in tatters. One particularly striking piece of viral fallout showed a Knicks fan displaying a mock Elmo head on a pike above a cardboard sign reading, "TRAITOR."

Cookie Monster weighs in

The following day, Cookie Monster attempted to rehabilitate his fellow Sesame Street cast member's image with a post on X: "Elmo teach me not to eat trophy. Me teach Elmo to pick a team."

Brunson's even-keeled philosophy

Beyond his gesture toward Elmo, Brunson offered a broader glimpse into his temperament during an interview on CBS Mornings. Host Gayle King asked why he had walked away in silence after Spurs star Victor Wembanyama shoved him in what she described as "a blatant foul" — and Brunson's answer spoke to the composure that defined the Knicks' championship run.

"It was definitely a spur-of-the-moment thing, but no matter what, you have to understand the moment, what you're doing, and what your main goal and focus are," Brunson said. "I've always had the ability to stay even-keeled — never too high, never too low. That's what prepared me for that situation."