The New York Knicks have ended a 53-year championship drought, securing their first NBA title since 1973. Karl-Anthony Towns earned his ring, and unexpectedly, a $125 orange clutch made by his fiancée, Jordyn Woods, is receiving significant credit. This is the story of the most famous handbag in basketball history.
The Birth of a Lucky Charm
Jordyn Woods created the bag as a personal sample from her brand, Woods by Jordyn, ahead of the 2026 playoffs. She wanted to wear something from her own label courtside and chose orange to match the Knicks. The clutch, officially named the Tux Clutch Mini in Summer Citrus, first appeared courtside in April 2026 and launched on May 15, the same day the Boston Celtics defeated the Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Initially, it seemed like a bad omen, but everything changed afterward.
The 13-Game Winning Streak
The Knicks embarked on a 13-game winning streak, with Jordyn carrying the bag to every game. Fans began tracking its presence, noting that the orange clutch was at every playoff game from Game 3 against the Hawks onward, and New York did not lose a single game with it. The internet transformed the bag into a talisman, a good luck charm, and a full-blown superstition. Jordyn told The Cut, "I kept wearing it and they didn't lose. The one time we lost was when I couldn't bring my bag into Madison Square Garden — it kind of created this hysteria."
The Presidential Interruption
For Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, President Donald Trump attended at MSG, and his security detail triggered a no-bag policy. The orange clutch was banned from the arena. Jordyn publicly attempted to get it inside through KAT but failed. The bag stayed out, and the Knicks lost, snapping the 13-game winning streak. Knicks fans openly blamed the bag's absence. Jordyn's brand quickly released a pair of thong sandal heels with an ankle cuff in the same orange ostrich print for $225, allowing her to carry the spirit of the bag into the building on her feet. However, the shoes lacked the same magic, and the Knicks lost that game too. The bag, it seemed, was irreplaceable.
The Bag's Return and Championship Glory
Late in the month, Woods returned to her courtside seat with the lucky clutch. The Knicks won Game 4 and Game 5, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 to clinch the 2026 NBA Championship. The bag remained undefeated in the games it attended, finishing with a flawless record.
KAT's Championship Speech and Media Frenzy
Carrying the Larry O'Brien Trophy after the win, Towns declared the clutch "one of the greatest clothing articles in the history of basketball" and told the city of New York, "I want everyone in New York to know that bag won the championship." The NBA amplified the clip on Instagram, and it went viral. On Good Morning America, Towns doubled down, saying, "That bag is undoubtedly one of the greatest articles of clothing New York has ever seen. It's had a run, for sure, undefeated in the playoffs. Woods by Jordyn, for sure, got it done for us."
Bag Sells Out, Mayor Poses, and Retirement
The Tux Clutch Mini sold out before the championship celebration confetti had dried. The brand sold a few bags per minute at peak demand, with pre-orders now shipping in September. At the championship parade, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani posed for a photo with the bag, which Jordyn posted to Instagram. In true New York fashion, Jordyn announced the bag's retirement on the TODAY show, saying, "It has seen better days. After the parade, I'm going to hang it in the rafters." A $125 sample bag, courtside since April, undefeated in the playoffs, and retired with a championship — a remarkable journey for a product that hadn't officially launched when the run began.
