TWO years ago, I wrote about organizational culture using the New York Knicks as an example. Back then, the Knicks seemed to outperform expectations despite lacking star power.
Their success was built on connectedness, discipline and a willingness to subordinate individual interests to the goals of the team. But they lost steam due to injuries.
This month, they won the championship over the San Antonio Spurs after being down 16 points in Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
But the monumental game of the series was the Game 4 comeback. Midway through that game, New York trailed by 29 points. The young Spurs, led by generational talent Victor Wembanyama, appeared poised to seize complete control.
Most teams would have folded under such circumstances. The Knicks thought otherwise. Possession by possession, they chipped away at the lead. They defended harder, executed better and maintained their composure. By the final buzzer, they had completed one of the greatest comeback victories in NBA Finals history.
Many observers called it luck. But was it really?
This was the fifth time during the 2026 playoffs that New York had overcome a deficit of at least 20 points. At some point, repeated success becomes evidence of something deeper.
The Knicks’ journey has included playoff disappointments, injuries, roster adjustments and difficult lessons. Through it all, management remained committed to building a culture rather than chasing quick fixes.
A significant part of that culture comes from continuity and trust. Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, as well as Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, share a common basketball heritage from Villanova University, where they learned how to win championships together. Long before Madison Square Garden, they developed the habits, accountability and mutual confidence that championship teams require.
Shared experiences
Organizations often underestimate the value of shared experiences. Technical competence can be acquired. Trust takes years to build.
When adversity strikes, people do not suddenly develop character. Rather, adversity reveals the character and habits that have already been cultivated over time.
The Knicks’ comeback reflected no visible panic. No finger-pointing. No abandonment of the game plan. The scoreboard may have shown a 29-point deficit, but the players never behaved as though the contest was beyond recovery.
The Spurs, meanwhile, represent a different stage in the organizational life cycle. No one doubts their talent. Wembanyama may well become the defining player of his generation. Around him is a young and gifted core that could dominate the NBA for years to come, including Fil-Am Dylan Harper.
Yet talent and maturity do not always arrive together. Throughout the Finals, San Antonio repeatedly built significant leads, only to struggle in protecting them. Their inexperience surfaced during critical moments. The composure needed to navigate championship pressure is often acquired only after enduring painful setbacks.
Many organizations encounter the same challenge. They recruit bright people, acquire resources and develop ambitious strategies. Yet when adversity arrives, they discover that success requires more than talent. It requires emotional maturity, resilience and the ability to perform under pressure.
Knicks coach Mike Brown took over a team with an established culture. He made important adjustments while preserving its core identity. Instead of relying heavily on a small group of stars, Brown demonstrated a willingness to collaborate with his players, to trust his bench and develop depth throughout the roster.
Strong organizations understand that success cannot depend solely on a few exceptional performers. They invest in developing future leaders and preparing others to step forward when needed.
In sports, this is known as the “next man up” mentality. In business, it is called succession planning and leadership development.
The lesson extends far beyond basketball.
We often describe successful people, organizations and even nations as lucky. Yet, what we call luck is frequently the visible outcome of years of invisible preparation.
The entrepreneur who suddenly lands a major client, the company that survives a crisis, the employee who earns a promotion, or the sports team that completes a historic comeback often appears fortunate from the outside.
What outsiders rarely see are the years spent building skills, relationships, systems and credibility before the opportunity arrived.
The same principle applies to nations. Countries create their own luck. They do so by investing in education, strengthening institutions, enforcing accountability and cultivating leaders capable of thinking beyond short-term political gains.
Conversely, poor choices accumulate as well. Weak institutions, tolerance for corruption and the election of leaders based on popularity rather than competence can squander opportunities that might otherwise have produced growth and prosperity.
Ultimately, the future of a country depends not merely on fate or fortune, but on the collective choices of its citizens.
Benel Dela Paz Lagua is an independent director in progressive banks and NGOs.