The celebrity roster at Fanatics Fest felt like a dream team of pop culture icons as the event took place in New York. Fans were excited to see the New York Knicks featured, and Jalen Brunson shared the stage with Knicks superfan Ben Stiller for a panel that delved into various subjects.
Brunson and Stiller were accompanied in their discussion by Knicks franchise icon and Hall of Fame point guard Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Knicks shooting guard Josh Hart, and Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee, who is also one of the team's most dedicated fans.
Jalen Brunson being starstruck with meeting Ben Stiller
At the event, Brunson reflected on the first time he met Stiller and shared the emotions he experienced during that encounter.
“My first interaction was at a Knicks game and he was talking about just how much of a Knicks fan he was,” said the Knicks’ floor general via PEOPLE.
“And I was just like, in awe. That was it,” noted Brunson.
Since joining the Knicks in 2022, Brunson has been appointed as the 36th captain in the team's history, marking the first time since Lance Thomas held the title in the 2018-19 season. He appreciates Stiller's passion for the Knicks and holds the actor in high regard.
On the other hand, as a New York native, Stiller became a devoted Knicks fan in the early 1970s, witnessing their championship win and staying loyal ever since. When he’s not immersed in his work as an actor, filmmaker, or directing Severance, Stiller is known for live-tweeting Knicks games or supporting them from courtside.
Ben Stiller is on of the New York Knicks superfans
One example of Stiller's passionate Knicks fandom occurred when the team endured a tough 113-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. New York fans, including Stiller, were frustrated by the lack of a foul call on Luguentz Dort during Jalen Brunson's late basket that temporarily gave New York the lead.
The NBA's two-minute report later confirmed the non-call was correct, which ignited an angry response from Stiller, who is frequently active on X during Knicks games.
“This is an April Fools right?” Ben Stiller posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Following Jalen Brunson's basket, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander responded by sinking a game-winning shot with just over a second remaining. Had Brunson received the foul call he believed was warranted, the game could have potentially gone into overtime.
Optimism around the Knicks championship hopes
Brunson, a Villanova alum, has guided the team to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in each of his two seasons following his move from the Dallas Mavericks.
For the first time since the 1990s, New York fans are genuinely optimistic about the team's championship prospects. Brunson, who accepted a $110 million discount for the Knicks, has reinforced this optimism. Moreover, the dynamic synergy among the Villanova-Knicks core adds to the excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the team.
Brunson averaged 28.7 points per game last season, which earned him his first All-Star selection and a fifth-place finish in the NBA MVP voting, according to the league.
