“This Is Our Year”: Charles Barkley Recalls Spike Lee Habit That Drives Him Crazy, Admires Knicks Superfan’s Loyalty

There are die-hard basketball fans. And then there’s Spike Lee. The acclaimed director of Malcolm X, Inside Man, and Do the Right Thing can be spotted at almost every game at Madison Square Garden and appears to be one of the few celebrities who are true fans, not just courtside for the glamor or the paparazzi.

Lee, who grew up in Brooklyn, first attended Knicks games in the 1960s and was at Madison Square Garden for Game 7 of the 1970 Finals, when the team won its first-ever championship. His love affair with the franchise only deepened from there. He eventually became a season ticket holder and has stood by the Knicks through thick and thin—a true legend when it comes to fandom.

Charles Barkley agrees. The NBA legend spoke on today’s NBA on TNT about how much he admires Lee, who was a guest on the show.

“We got a lot of fairweather fans as celebrities. Who just show up when their team does well,” said Chuck. “I will say this about Spike Lee. This dude has been coming to Knicks games for 100 years.” 

“He’s a die-hard fan,” added Barkley, who revealed seconds later something that the Oscar winner does that makes him less amused. “He drives me, and Kenny, and Shaq, and Ernie, and Reggie crazy.”

What does Chuck hate? “I’ve been in the NBA since 1984. Every year since 1984, he’s told me, “‘This is our year Chuck,'” he quoted Lee.

You can hardly blame Lee—he loves New York. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been right yet, with the Knicks last winning a championship in 1973. But by the law of averages, if the iconic film director keeps saying it, he has to be right eventually.

Chuck giving Lee his flowers was a classy move. The 68-year-old had to endure the 2018–19 Knicks season, when the team finished with a dismal 17–65 record. It was clear that the year was all about rebuilding, giving young players like Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, and Dennis Smith Jr. extended minutes to develop.

For Lee to stick with New York when so many others turned their backs on the team shows he’s in it for the long haul—ride or die, till the bitter end.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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