Brian Windhorst’s comments on his The Hoop Collective podcast were more prophetic than he might’ve liked.
After ruffling some feathers with his commentary on the Knicks’ series against the Celtics, which New York went on to win 4-2, Windhorst noted that he’d be just fine leaving Madison Square Garden. The longtime ESPN NBA analyst was only walking to his hotel in midtown after all.
It was a bit more than just a simple stroll.
A 10-second clip of Windhorst getting heckled by a Knicks fan made the rounds on social media last week. It wasn’t a great look, but to his credit, Windhorst handled it like a pro.
Now, a second angle has surfaced, giving a little more context to what led up to the exchange. In the new video, you can see fans tossing what looks like trash in Windhorst’s direction.
But this is something else entirely.
It’s not the best look for a fan base already facing scrutiny for behavior that’s spilled into the streets. After the Knicks eliminated the Celtics, fans were seen in another viral video throwing bags of garbage at an Indiana Pacers fan wearing a Tyrese Haliburton jersey on the streets of New York. We wouldn’t say that wearing a Haliburton jersey was the smartest choice here, but it’s certainly not a justification for getting pelted with trash or jumped by a crowd.
Since then, the story has taken a more uplifting turn. Pat McAfee tracked down the fan and brought him on The Pat McAfee Show Monday. During the appearance, Tyrese Haliburton himself surprised the fan with tickets to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Maybe Knicks fans can mend fences with Windhorst next.
Say what you will about Windy’s takes, but he absolutely doesn’t deserve to get caught in the crossfire.