NEW YORK — It’s been two days since Karl-Anthony Towns helped the New York Knicks win their first NBA championship in 53 years, but Towns reflected Tuesday on what the moment meant off the court.

Towns appeared Tuesday at the Raising Cane’s Global Flagship in Times Square with fiancée Jordyn Woods and discussed how he and the Knicks were able to end New York’s 53-year championship drought.

The appearance was part of a celebratory “shift” at Raising Cane’s Global Flagship in Times Square, one of Towns’ first public events since helping deliver New York’s first NBA championship since 1973. During the event, Towns worked behind the counter, served food, interacted with Raising Cane’s crew members and continued the city’s championship celebration ahead of Thursday’s parade.

“For me, I think what was so special about this was — and I didn’t realize this until after the win — how much healing that win would do for all of New York City, from the fans to the alumni,” Towns said. “Even for us as the players in our personal lives, it was a healing experience.”

Knicks fans saw the Larry O’Brien Trophy return to New York for the first time since 1973 while Towns said he believed throughout the season this group could bring a championship back to the city.

“I mean, yeah, I honestly did,” Towns said. “You come in here with a lot of expectations. I understood the team that I walked into as well. I saw what we could be.”

There was one moment in particular that stood out to Towns following the final buzzer. Towns took notice of Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing celebrating the title with the franchise he helped lead for over a decade.

“To see someone like Pat just finally exhale after all these years and to see Larry O’Brien in his hand was emotional,” Towns said. “To see Pat taking his portraits with the trophy, because when he was here, I know he only wished and imagined that he would be the one to do it.”

Ewing led the Knicks to two NBA Finals appearances during the 1990s but came up short each time. Seeing one of the Knicks’ all-time greats finally celebrate with the Larry O’Brien Trophy was impactful for Towns.

New York’s championship run had many faces, and Towns was certainly one of them. Despite his starring role throughout the postseason, Towns consistently pointed to his teammates when discussing the team’s success.

“A lot of the focus always goes to me and [Jalen Brunson], but it’s really those guys that make this team work and allowed us to win,” Towns said.

Towns specifically praised OG Anunoby, Landry Shamet, Miles “Deuce” McBride, Mitchell Robinson and Mikal Bridges for their contributions this postseason.

“There’s so many big performances by our bench guys and the other starters,” Towns said. “OG had one of the biggest moments in NBA history with the tip-in off the JB miss. Landry Shamet hit some of the biggest threes of the season. Deuce McBride did what he always does. Mitchell Robinson had one of the biggest offensive rebounds in NBA Finals history. Mikal Bridges had one of his best games ever on the biggest stage.”

“I could really go down the list because everyone had such a big part in this season’s success,” Towns said.

The trust Towns spoke about resonated throughout the roster. It applied to even the team’s biggest moment of the playoffs: Towns fouled out in the fourth quarter of Game 6.

“I trust one through 15. Like everybody on that team,” Towns said. “It wasn’t my moment anymore. It was our moment. It was always our moment.”

Though the celebration will continue into Thursday’s championship parade, Towns said one of his most special memories about winning the title is seeing how it made Knicks fans feel.

“There are going to be a lot of people that got to witness this in their lifetime that never got to see this,” Towns said. “But speaking from a son’s perspective, there’s sons that watched this with their fathers when they were younger and got to see Clyde and those teams win. Now they’re fathers themselves and they have sons.”

For Towns, winning the NBA championship allowed him to help create a generational moment for Knicks fans.

“To be able to have that full-circle moment where now the positions flip and they get to be the fathers giving that moment to their sons, I’m just honored that I was able to play for a team that was able to give them that feeling.”

Madison Square Garden has turned into one of the biggest celebrity-filled arenas since the Knicks started their playoff run. But Towns said the biggest stars this season weren’t walking the halls.

“There’s a lot of celebrities that show up to our games, but in my mind, the real celebrities are the ones in the 200s and the nosebleeds who are spending their hard-earned money to show up and cheer for their Knicks,” Towns said.

“The people who are showing up from their 9-to-5s, spending their life savings, their children’s college funds and everything in between to show up to one MSG game. That’s really special.”

While Towns spent part of the morning working alongside Raising Cane’s crew members and serving customers, much of the conversation centered on the championship and its impact on New York. 

New York will celebrate with a championship parade Thursday, where the Knicks are also expected to receive a key to the city. But Towns said Knicks fans have already given him more than any accolade the city can bestow.

“Ever since I got traded here, I always felt like I had a key to the city because the fans have welcomed me in so much,” Towns said.

“The fans gave me one thing they always talk about New York is the greatest currency, which is respect.”