Ben Stiller talks bonding over basketball with Timothée Chalamet, a 'genuine Knicks fan through and through'
Ben Stiller has an incredible Hollywood resume as an actor, producer, director, and writer. But first and foremost, he's a Knicks fan.
A staple at Madison Square Garden throughout the regular season and playoffs, Stiller has also been cheering on his Knicks on the road during the postseason, as he was in the building in Indiana for Game 4 against the Pacers, sitting next to fellow actor and diehard Knicks fan Timothée Chalamet.
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Stiller and Chalamet have become quite the tandem when it comes to cheering on the Knicks, and Stiller explained on The Putback with Ian Begley, how he and Chalamet have formed a bond over their beloved team.
'We met each other over the years a few times and I'm a fan of his, he's a great actor, always seemed like a nice guy,' Stiller said. 'Saw him at some Knicks games and then we were at the Detroit series and were both looking to go to Detroit, so we decided to go together and got to know each other.
'Genuine Knicks fan through and through. New Yorker, New York kid, and has a true appreciation of the game and no trouble calling out the refs during a game, too.'
While sitting courtside in Indiana, Stiller and Chalamet, along with Spike Lee, were the subject of a WWE-style roasting by TV personality and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee.
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"We got some bigwigs from the big city in the building. Spike Lee is here. Ben Stiller is here. Timothée Chalamet is here. Let's send these sons of bitches back to New York with their ears ringing," McAfee said to pump up the crowd during the fourth quarter of Game 4.
Stiller was able to get a good laugh out of it, though, saying on The Putback that Indiana had an 'amazing, amazing atmosphere,' and that McAfee should head to the Big Apple for Thursday night's Game 5.
"I have to say, I was not familiar with his game. I did not know that was coming," Stiller said.
"I did know that Timothée has been on his show and I was like 'Oh, that's your boy, that's your guy,' so then when that happened I was a little bit like 'Whoa, okay.' But the WWE aspect, I get it. It's just not the way it happens in New York.
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"He should come to the Garden for Game 5. They'll put him up on the screen and they'll show him punting the ball, and everybody will give him a nice cheer. That's how we do it in New York.
"But I get it. It was fun. I feel like he was just trying to get the crowd riled up. It was a little bit out of the blue… it just seems a little cartoonish, but then again it goes with the WWE."
Knicks fans can certainly expect to see Stiller and Chalamet on Thursday night at Game 5, as the Knicks look to stay alive and flip the momentum in the series, with Indiana up 3-1 in the best-of-seven set.
Any chance we'll get to see the two actors mic'd up during the game?
"They don't want to do that," Stiller said with a laugh. "I'm telling you."
You can watch Stiller's full appearance on The Putback by clicking here.
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Rose played for the Pacers from 1996–2002 and led Indiana to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals and the 2000 NBA Finals alongside Reggie Miller. Comedian Mike Epps is repping for the Pacers courtside. Epps was born and raised in Indianapolis. The Indiana Pacers will host the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Time: 8 p.m. ET 8 p.m. ET Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indianapolis) TV: TNT, truTV TNT, truTV Stream: Sling TV, Max Watch Knicks vs. Pacers Game 6 on Sling Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter and Indiana native John Mellencamp was not a fan of McAfee's rant. '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," Mellencamp wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "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." The champ is here. Walt "Clyde" Frazier, who led the Knicks to two titles in 1970 and 1973, the franchise's only NBA titles to date, is in attendance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The 80-year-old Hall of Famer serves as the Knicks' television analyst on MSG Networks, alongside Hall of Fame play-by-play announcer Mike Breen. 'I've been relishing and living vicariously through these guys," Fraizer said ahead of the game. Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals brought out a variety of celebrities to Madison Square Garden, ranging from Knicks legends (Patrick Ewing, Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Bill Bradley) to comedians (Tracy Morgan), actors (Timothée Chalamet, Susie Essman, Ben Stiller, Mariska Hargitay and Spike Lee), musicians (Shaboozey, Idina Menzel and Joey Badass) and world-class athletes (Michael Strahan, Kevin Love and Henrik Lundqvist). Check out the full star-studded Game 5 lineup here. Obi Toppin is getting loose ahead of Game 6. He did so with an assist from a young fan. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
