John Mellencamp Called Out Pat McAfee For Heckling Ben Stiller At NBA Playoff Game, And He Responded

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Credit: ESPN/Farmer's Aid
Pat McAfee already had to hear from Ben Stiller when his rousing speech during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals felt insulting to New York celebrities in attendance, and now he has to hear from a big name from Indiana: John Mellencamp. Despite McAfee hyping up the Indiana Pacers fans as they defeated the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the NBA playoffs, the Hoosier-born singer wasn't a fan of the ESPN commentator's behavior.
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The Indiana Pacers didn't have many celebrity supporters in the building during Game 4, so it's a shame that two of their biggest ones may be at odds. In a statement made two days after McAfee's big speech, Mellencamp released the following on X:
The Knicks/Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who likes basketball or sports. I attended Game 4 in Indianapolis. 'Hoosier Hospitality' …I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team. The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life. On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.
I'm not sure if I'm reading into it too deeply, but I have to think John Mellencamp using the term "smackdown" had to be a rib at Pat McAfee being a WWE commentator. No doubt, McAfee's wrestling experience led him to give what was reportedly an impromptu speech that was not rehearsed ahead of delivery. It's worth noting that as someone living in Indiana, I've seen many residents collectively confused by the singer's issue with what seemed like a mostly light-hearted diss to Timothée Chalamet and others.
Pat McAfee rarely is quiet when it comes to criticism, so it was a given he wasn't going to ignore John Mellencamp's veiled criticism even though it didn't mention him by name. While the ESPN commentator has been known to drop a cryptic message on social media, he wasn't afraid to let people on X know who the singer was talking about in this scathing message:
I am 'somebody'
Back when there was some talk going back and forth between Pat McAfee and Ben Stiller, I almost suspected it was a subtle build to some future upcoming WWE event we'd see later this year with a Peacock subscription. Now with John Mellencamp in the mix, I'm assuming there were actual hurt feelings about McAfee calling out celebrities at the event.
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It's just another chapter in the storied rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. Both teams have met many times over the years in the playoffs, with plenty of storylines between players and celebrities alike. It's rare two people supporting the same team speak out against each other, though, which is what makes it so bizarre.
As the NBA playoffs continue on, be sure to check out the 2025 TV schedule to see what else is coming to television this summer. I know there are some summer shows I can't wait to get into once basketball is over, especially on the streaming side. Starting Five is coming from Netflix and with Tyrese Haliburton from the Pacers on the list of people covered, it should be a great season if they make the NBA finals.