Ben Stiller will direct a multi-part documentary series about the New York Knicks for A24 and HBO, in partnership with the NBA. The Ben Stiller Knicks documentary covers the franchise’s full history and its first championship in 53 years.
Stiller is best known as a director and actor whose credits include Zoolander and Tropic Thunder. The Knicks project is his first major foray into long-form non-fiction. His public association with the team and his celebrity profile give the project a different entry point than a traditional sports journalism approach.
Stiller confirmed the series on social media following the Knicks’ title win. “Couldn’t be more excited to make this doc with @a24 and @hbo about the NY KNICKS!!!!” he wrote. Earlier this year he appeared on the podcast hosted by Knicks players Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, where he had predicted a 2026 title with “Knicks in 26.”
What the Ben Stiller Knicks documentary will cover
According to A24’s synopsis, the series will “trace the full arc of the franchise from the ’90s to the improbable, record-breaking run.” The production secured unprecedented NBA access and includes never-before-seen footage. A24 describes the project as “a definitive look at one of basketball’s most iconic stories.”
Production will run into the upcoming NBA season. Stiller plans additional interviews with current players, which suggests the series will not close on the championship itself but continue tracking the team into the next year.
The Knicks last won a title in 1973. That 53-year gap spans multiple eras: the Patrick Ewing-led teams of the 1990s, which reached multiple Finals without winning, followed by coaching changes, roster turnover, and a long rebuild. Stiller’s Knicks documentary has all of that history to draw on. The 2026 championship closes one chapter, but the preceding decades are where the dramatic weight lies.
Why A24 and HBO are the right fit
A24 has built a strong reputation for prestige film and television over the past decade, with notable work across dramatic features and documentary formats. HBO brings a long track record in sports and cultural documentary production. Together they give the project credibility with audiences who may come to it from outside the Knicks’ existing fanbase.
The NBA’s direct involvement is a separate factor. Access at that level typically means current players, coaches, and front-office executives who would not be available to an independent production. That access determines what story Stiller can tell.
For the league, the project fits a pattern that has been building for years. Major sports organizations have invested more heavily in long-form storytelling as a way to reach audiences who follow the cultural side of the sport but may not watch every game. The Knicks, based in the country’s largest media market and coming off their first championship in over five decades, are a logical choice for a project of this scale.
The production has not yet announced an episode count or premiere window.