Latest news with #pro-Knicks
Cosmopolitan
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
The Knicks Celebrity Attendees Are Better than the Met Gala
We're in the middle of a historic moment for New York basketball. At least that's what I, someone famously uninterested in sports, have gathered from Timothée Chalamet's passionate pro-Knicks Instagram Stories. I cannot bring myself to care about basketball. But I do care about my Timmy and other stars like him, be they bandwagon fans or not. Suddenly, I've found myself a degree more interested in securing vintage Knicks merch on Depop than I was last week. I understand that the New York Knicks' successful advancement to the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Finals represents something major for the team's lifelong fans, who've grown used to them coming up short. An analogy that's allowed me to understand the gravity of this moment was likening it to how Amy Adams stans will feel the day she wins her long overdue Oscar. Only then did I grasp the maniacal joy that the New York Knicks fans displayed on the streets of Manhattan after a team victory last Friday night. And while my algorithm knows I have no interest in layups or playoffs or anything of the like, New York City's team has been unavoidable on my feeds since the Eastern Conference Semifinals began. And not because of any actual game footage. First, it was because of this cinematic picture of Kylie Jenner staring longingly at her boyfriend, Timothée, from their courtside seats during Game 4. Then I couldn't escape the sheer slay that was Cardi B's relationship hard-launch (the first post-Offset). She popped out at a Knicks game Monday night with NFL star Stefon Diggs, sitting just a few seats down from Timothée. And that's just a fraction of the high-profile action that's gone down during this particular playoff series. It's not new for the Knicks to have a high concentration of celebrities sitting courtside. (Spike Lee has been a season ticket holder since 1985.) The fact that the team is based in a cultural mecca makes it easy for huge names to stop by and watch a game. But this year's playoff series has set the stage for a ton of non-sports-related pop culture lore to be built on the sidelines. The 2025 Knicks' playoff presence is more comparable to cultural events like the Met Gala than to well-attended NBA games of the past. If we're pitting the annual gala and the Knicks iconic run against one another (not a totally obvious comparison, but let's walk together), we can note that couples like Kylie/Timothée and Cardi/Stefon chose to make big public outings at Knicks games instead of the Met's blue carpet this year. And sure, we see a handful of awkward celeb ex run-ins at the Met every year (see: Sabrina and Barry, and Rosalía and Jeremy Allen White this year). But we don't get to see how those run-ins—or any other action—can go down inside the event (despite Megan Thee Stallion's best covert recording efforts). But under Madison Square Garden's glaring light, we can see the celebrity ex-reunions in their full glory, like Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny sitting just a few feet away from each other at the Knicks game last Monday night. Any pop culture fan who considers themself committed to the game of stargazing should be fully rooting for New York City's team right now. Because players and stats aside, who else is feeding us like this? You're not getting lovable fan cams of every star imaginable—from Tina Fey to Mary J. Blige—at an Orlando Magic game (respectfully). You won't see former besties Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods (WAG to Knicks player Karl Anthony Towns) sharing post-Knicks win squeals during a rare public reunion anywhere else. Feels just like 2018. If you're a fan that's been on the internet for a minute, take a moment to remember the joy that those photos of Ethan Hawke trying to chat up Rihanna evoked. Each of these A-list Knicks moments has provided me with similar voyeuristic glee! A basketball game is no gala, but it's not often we get so many opportunities to watch these celebs operate in (somewhat) laid-back environments. These games bring us very necessary group chat fodder! (For example: 'Is it legal for an L.A. native like Kylie to step out as a Knicks diehard?") I am paying close attention to every beat of courtside activity happening while the Knicks do their thing this season, and for that reason alone, I need them to keep winning. Point guard Jalen Brunson is essentially carrying pop culture on his back right now, along with the dutiful Knicks fans in the nosebleeds recording all of this courtside action instead of the game itself (despite how expensive those tickets currently are). Anyone who doesn't want this celeb tea resource to dry up should go ahead and join the Knicks bandwagon. Who knows what other major pop culture moments are yet to come from Madison Square Garden...
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Pacers fan that braved Knicks mob in New York City gets invite from Tyrese Haliburton
Pacers fan that braved Knicks mob in New York City gets invite from Tyrese Haliburton Show Caption Hide Caption Who will be the X Factor in the Pacers-Knicks Eastern Conference Finals? The Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and Pacers might get tight. Here are the players who we think might be able to break through and tilt the series. After an Indiana Pacers fan braved the chaos in New York City, its star Tyrese Haliburton is making sure he gets taken of during the Eastern Conference finals. In the hours after the New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of their second round series to advance to the Eastern Conference finals, a man wearing a Haliburton jersey was seen roaming the streets around Madison Square Garden as Knicks fans flooded the area. The heavily pro-Knicks crowd didn't like seeing someone wear the jersey of not only a heated rival, but of someone who New York will face in the next round. Video showed people throwing garbage and berating the Pacers fan as he tried to dodge the onslaught from those taunting him. The video went viral on social media, and former Colts punter Indiana sports mega-fan and Pat McAfee wanted to find out who the Pacers fan was. He found him, and had him join the popular "The Pat McAfee Show." The Pacers fan is Hans Perez, a New York firefighter who told McAfee he's been a die-hard Pacers since he was a kid. He admitted he got too close to the frenzy happening in the streets, and at one point was looking for police. "I don't know if I can go into the mob, but I'm going to go close by and feel the energy, get ready for the series," Perez said about his idea to go out. "It started getting a little more handsy. Dudes wanted the jersey. I started to get a little nervous." McAfee wasn't the only one to see the brave effort from Perez. Haliburton saw the video and joined the show to give Perez a special gift. "I wanna personally bring you and a plus one out here to come to Game 4, here in Indiana," Haliburton said. "Everybody in our organization wants to make sure that you're taken care of. The whole team's excited to meet you." Perez was hyped about the invitation, and he now has the chance to see his favorite team play as it tries to reach its first NBA Finals in 25 years. Guess the brave action turned out to have some benefit. Game 1 between New York and Indiana tips off Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
