It took him seven years after winning a ring to finally reach the NBA Finals.

"I was young then and didn't grasp how difficult it is to come back to this stage. It feels amazing to be here again, and it required immense effort."

After the Eastern Conference Finals, OG Anunoby, returning to the Finals after seven years, uttered those words. It was a rare instance of OG opening up, as he finally realized how steep the climb is and how much dedication it takes to return.

In 2019, at age 22, OG Anunoby earned his first championship ring, but unfortunately, he missed the entire playoff run. Before the playoffs began, OG suffered from acute appendicitis and underwent an emergency appendectomy. Initial reports said he would be out for at least two weeks, but he never returned to the court for the entire postseason.

When the Raptors ultimately won the championship, OG likely had the most mixed emotions. Unlike Lin and McCaw, who were out of the rotation, others could still contribute in practice, but OG could only watch from the sidelines the entire playoffs, and the team only got stronger without him.

OG was no rookie in experience; in his first season, he was already a starting forward for the Raptors and even matched up against LeBron in the 2018 playoffs—James hit a game-winner right over him. Compared to other rookies, he tasted playoff basketball early and understood it was a completely different arena from the regular season.

But the following year, Kawhi Leonard's arrival pushed OG from starter to bench. Missing the entire playoff run gnawed at him; he got a ring, but it wasn't earned by his own hand. That's why you could see OG hanging his head in the back row during the championship photo—he knew it wasn't his moment.

Leonard left after just one year, which was good news for OG. He reclaimed his starting forward spot and was expected to become the next Leonard. In January 2020, OG wore a T‑shirt depicting the game‑winner James hit over him as motivation.

Everyone knows LeBron's iconic running bank-shot game-winner, but few remember that just before that, OG had hit a clutch three to tie the game. It was a moment where OG first showed his playoff promise, but it was quickly overshadowed by James.

His own moment didn't take long to arrive. In Game 3 of the 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals, OG caught the ball with 0.5 seconds left and sank a game‑winning three. As the ball went in and the buzzer sounded, his teammates mobbed him, but OG remained stone‑faced. After yesterday's putback near‑game‑winner to complete a 29‑point comeback, OG again showed no emotion—a man who has calmness etched into his bones.

In 2020, the Raptors eventually lost Game 7 to the Celtics and bowed out in the semifinals. No one expected that to be the farthest the post‑Leonard Raptors would go. Over the next few seasons, they only made the playoffs once and exited in the first round. All championship members gradually left, and OG was traded to the Knicks on the last day of 2023.

In his first year with the Knicks, he fell in the semifinals; in the second year, he fell in the Eastern Conference Finals. Only this year did he finally break out of the East and truly reach the Finals for the first time. Throughout this postseason, OG has been the Knicks' most consistent player. In 16 playoff games, he shot under 50% in only three games, and under 40% in just one—Game 1 against the Cavaliers, which was his first game back from a hamstring strain.

By the way, some may have forgotten that OG suffered a hamstring strain during this playoff run. With Luka and Jalen Williams both having similar issues, many despairingly thought the Knicks were done for. But OG returned quickly and had only one off shooting game, then maintained steady, high‑efficiency performances on both ends of the floor.

Over four Finals games, he averaged 23.8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1.5 blocks per game, making 3.8 three‑pointers per contest, with shooting percentages of 58%, 56%, and 92%, and a true shooting percentage of 78%. The one offensive and one defensive play that swung the Finals in Game 4 elevated him to the top of the FMVP ladder.

These are two plays that will go down in history: he sprinted to block Fox's shot, then leapt high to tip the rebound in before anyone else. Even after all that, he remained calm, knowing one more win separated them from the ultimate celebration.

Over the years, limited by scoring volume, OG was always regarded as an elite 3‑and‑D player, but never as an All‑Star caliber player. Now, on the Finals stage, OG has become the brightest star.

You don't have to shine all the time, nor always show your edge. Time will bear witness to all the hard work, and at the most opportune moment, the loudest echo will come.