Why Black Men Love The New York Knicks
As the lyrics from the “Theme of New York, New York” go, “Start spreading the news,” the New York Knicks punched their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years. Capping off a historic postseason run for the ages, the Knicks blew out the Cleveland Cavaliers 130–93 to complete a clean four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday.
Led by series MVP Jalen Brunson, aka “Captain Clutch,” the Knicks extended their postseason winning streak to 11 consecutive games. On June 3rd, they will be seeking their first Larry O’Brien Trophy since 1973, when names like Willis Reed, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe donned the white, orange, and blue.
Although the Knicks are known for their loyal, die-hard fans, one segment of their fan base that is exceptionally glad to see their squad thrive is Black men. In fact, the connection goes back to Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, who became one of the first African American players to sign an NBA contract in 1950, making his debut in the iconic orange and blue.
For generations of Black men in New York and across the country, the Knicks’ return to the NBA Finals is a major milestone. Whether it’s barbershops, neighborhood parks, and group chats, Black men have been incredibly loyal to the players of Madison Square Garden through decades of disappointment is finally getting its flowers. Without question, no other person personifies Black men’s fandom of the Knicks quite like Spike Lee.
Few figures have been linked to a professional sports franchise quite like Lee is to the Knicks. For over more than four decades, Lee has been a fixture on “Celebrity Row” at Madison Square Garden and a season ticket holder since Partrck Ewing’s rookie season in 1985. At 13 years old, the Brooklyn native was even in the building when Reed played in “The Willis Reed Game” on May 8, 1970, when Reed famously played through injury in Game 7. He clashed with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Reggie Miller on the sideline, showing his fierce loyalty. For his love for the Knicks and the NBA, Lee was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery.
Tracy Morgan represents another example of a Black man who loves the Knicks. He has been a staple of the Madison Square Garden baseline, sitting in courtside seats right next to the MSG Network. At every home game, you can’t miss him as he’s donned in all of his jewelry.
While Chris Rock and 50 Cent are also big-time Knicks fans, arguably, the essential fans of the Knicks are the Black men whose names are not famous. “Celebrity row” notwithstanding, the Knicks core fan base has always been represented by the working class, NBA-obsessed fan, and a large segment of them are Black men.
The brothers who run the subways, work construction, drive the Ubers, Lyfts, and taxis. The Black men who watch the games in the local bars or who save their hard-earned money to buy those expensive a$$ tickets to sit in the nosebleed section of MSG. This team, where a majority of the team is comprised of Black men, this Finals appearance is for them. “It’s for the Black men who suffered through years of heartbreak and setbacks that would have shaken a lesser sports fan.
So to all those Black men, who are long-suffering fans of a team whose struggles may have mirrored their own, this moment is for you.
