There are very few players in the NBA with more confidence than Josh Hart right now. He knows exactly what his role is and is very comfortable being one of the best utility players in the NBA.

However, even with that confidence, Hart is a realist. While the New York Knicks comfortably won the NBA championship last season, it doesn't mean that they're guaranteed to win it next season - Hart will be the first to tell you that.

While speaking with E! News, Hart opened up about his offseason and how he felt about the Knicks repeating as NBA champions.

"Obviously we won last year," Hart said, "but if we think that we're just going to throw the ball up game one and think we're at that level again or we're a championship team, we're kind of playing ourselves."

Hart went on to add that he's confident with the group that the Knicks currently have because his teammates are all focused and locked in on improving. There's a level of confidence, but there's also an honesty about knowing what work needs to get done.

It's important for the Knicks not to forget that sense of humility that Hart speaks of. Players have to remain both humble and hungry when it comes to repeating as NBA champions; otherwise, they'll find themselves playing without the same level of urgency. It's what separates teams that win a championship once from those who can repeat.

When looking at the Eastern Conference, it's more ferocious than fans have seen in the last 10 years or so. There are a plethora of teams with a legitimate chance to win an NBA championship, but it's also worth noting that those teams have made major changes.

The Knicks should be the favorites on paper when it comes to coming out of the Eastern Conference, but at the same time, they have to take advantage of their familiarity. The 76ers made drastic changes by adding LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics lost Jaylen Brown, the Miami Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Raptors have Kawhi Leonard, and the Indiana Pacers are getting Tyrese Haliburton back after a year-long injury

The New York Knicks are the only team that is essentially running back its core group of players without major changes, besides swapping out Mitchell Robinson for Andre Drummond. It's a conference full of massive changes surrounding the Knicks, who have the target on their backs.

For the Knicks, the talent is there, and repeating is more about mentality than anything. If Josh Hart's statements have shown one thing, though, it's that the Knicks have the right mindset.