Spike Lee, one of the, if not the biggest, Knicks fans around, will almost certainly be courtside when they play at home. Having held season tickets for years, he’s also had some iconic moments, tiffs rather, with players of rival teams. Recently, he revealed who his favorite opponent was.
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One of the natural antagonists at Madison Square Garden is the Indiana Pacers. In 2000, led by Reggie Miller, they defeated the Knicks 4-2 in the Conference showdown to reach the Finals. Last playoffs, the Pacers won in six games against New York, reopening old wounds. That must have stung Lee really badly.
However, Lee, a cultural symbol of the Knicks franchise, put rivalries aside and gave his flowers to the Pacers, especially the 2025 team. He shared how he felt about that ‘particular player’ in an interview with Tyrese Haliburton. Yes, surprisingly, Hali wasn’t Lee’s pick.
It was the guard’s teammate, T.J. McConnell. “TJ, I got love for him, man,” the iconic filmmaker revealed on The Young Man and the Three.
Lee added that whenever the Knicks play against the Pacers, McConnell is always there, giving his trash talk right back to him. But it’s never out of hate. Because of this, Spike has formed an amicable relationship with the Indiana guard.
Spike later admitted that McConnell has become a thorn in his team’s side. “He’s a good guy, and he kills us, too. That guy is a Knick killer… I dig him.”
McConnell earned plenty of praise during the NBA Finals after an unexpectedly strong stretch of play. At times, he singlehandedly kept the Pacers in games against a heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder. He proved to the entire nation that he’s one of the best role players in the league.
Lee showing his appreciation for McConnell makes perfect sense in terms of personality as well. Lee embodies old-fashioned grit. That fits right in line with McConnell’s style of play: Gritty, hard-working, and reliable.
Of course, Spike will always be a Knicks fan. And while he let his guard down for a moment to gush over McConnell, he’d likely have no issue turning on him simply because he wears a Pacers jersey.
That said, it’s refreshing to hear Lee open up and appreciate someone outside of the Knicks roster.
