The deplorable actions by a small portion of Knicks fans continue to besmirch the reputation of New Yorkers, and Stephen A. Smith has seen enough.
After New York hosted their first NBA Finals game since 1999 Monday night, several fights broke out, with people wearing Spurs gear being targeted and attacked by groups of Knicks fans. According to police, 21 people were detained, with eight being arrested. The antics continued Wednesday night after the Knicks completed the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history, winning Game 3 against the Spurs to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
According to the NYPD, 56 people were taken into custody after the historic win prompted raucous celebrations in the streets. Knicks fans also went to the Spurs’ hotel after the win, where one video showed an egg was thrown from the crowd at Victor Wembanyama as he walked from the team bus to the hotel. The reprehensible violence and antics were widely condemned by players and celebrity fans in recent days, with Stephen A. Smith speaking out on First Take.
“The fools who did it, not only do I wish they knew who it was and they’d get arrested, I wish they get their *ss kicked,” Smith ranted. “Because see, it’s real brave to do something like that when you’re surrounded by a whole bunch of people, and nobody knows who you are.”
Smith cited Russell Westbrook needing to be restrained by security in 2021 after a fan in Philadelphia dumped a box of popcorn on his head. And Smith echoed the sentiment Westbrook has shared in the past, that these unruly fans wouldn’t act this way if they were one-on-one with the athlete.
“These athletes don’t deserve that,” Smith continued. “I will say, those stupid *ss fans, the couple of people who did that, they don’t represent New York Knick fans. Most New Yorkers would never do something like that. Most NBA fans, most sports fans wouldn’t do something like that.
“But there are always a few fools who hide behind crowds, hide behind fandemonium and being shielded by people so nobody knows who you are, so you can be the kind of punk that would do something like that…but I don’t want people to think New Yorkers are like that. There’s just a few fools that do something like that.”
Smith is right, it’s a small percentage of New Yorkers and Knicks fans who are seeking violence, but it’s still too many.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com