On a night unlike any other for Knicks fans in Central Park, Jalen Brunson proposed a playful wager to Jon Stewart.
Capping a lively segment with the Emmy-winning comedian, Brunson bet Stewart that the Eagles will defeat the Giants on October 20 at MetLife Stadium. If the Eagles prevail, Stewart must wear a Saquon Barkley jersey the first time he appears courtside at a Knicks game this season, Brunson proposed.
A night earlier, the former Giants’ running back recorded three touchdowns in his Eagles debut. But if the Giants defend their home turf with a win over the Eagles, Brunson will wear a jersey of Stewart’s choice. Stewart concurred.
Perched on a comfy leather chair across the stage, Josh Hart interjected, “Go Commanders!” Hart, a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, dabbles in sports betting by occasionally placing small wagers on NFL games. While NBA players are expressly forbidden from wagering on league events, the regulations do not prohibit them from betting on other sports.
On the first Saturday of the NFL season, hordes of fans at the event bypassed an evening in a luxurious sportsbook to attend the first-ever Roommates Show Block Party at Central Park. Despite being pelted by heavy rain, fans lined up for the event two hours before the start with large plastic bags to cover their Knicks jerseys.
Once inside, several thousand Knicks fans packed the confines of Rumsey Playfield to watch the podcast in person. Brunson and Hart, the hosts of the Roommates Show, invited Stewart, fellow comedian J.B. Smoove, former Knicks guard Stephon Marbury and new teammate Mikal Bridges for the performance. (The Roommates Show is presented by Playmaker HQ, which is owned by Action Network parent Better Collective.)
The intersection of sports, entertainment and comedy created a mini-Woodstock for Knicks fans as they prepare for the regular season. With the offseason acquisition of Bridges, a 2022 member of the NBA's All-Defensive First Team, the Knicks have emerged as a leading title contender at major books throughout the nation.
The 'Nova Knicks'
Shortly after the NBA Finals, the Knicks made one of the splashiest trades of the offseason in acquiring Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. The mere mention of "Brooklyn" triggered a chorus of boos from Knicks fans in attendance on Saturday.
Bridges, who won the 2018 Julius Erving Award at Villanova, will be reunited with former Wildcat teammates Brunson and Hart in the Knicks' lineup. On Saturday, the trio made one of their first public appearances together since the blockbuster trade. Bridges will also be reunited with former Villanova gaurd Donte DiVincenzo, the 2018 Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four.
In the annals of NBA history, title contenders have rarely turned to three college teammates to establish the foundation of their teams. The most recent case occurred in 2020, when the Grizzlies acquired Justise Winslow to pair him with former Duke teammates Tyus Jones and Grayson Allen. However, none of the former Blue Devils have made an All-NBA team, as Brunson has.
Thank you, New York. We love you. pic.twitter.com/RSQwxbM7zL
— Roommates Show (@Roommates__Show) September 8, 2024
Back in the 1990s, Rick Pitino brought on three of his former Kentucky Wildcats' players when he made the jump to the Boston Celtics. Pitino selected Ron Mercer with the sixth pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, then acquired Walter McCarty to pair with Antoine Walker, another ex-Wildcat.
Known as "The Untouchables," the 1996 Kentucky squad contained nine future NBA players, forming a powerful unit that is widely regarded as one of the best college teams of the last 40 years. But the incipient Celtics struggled against more experienced teams, finishing 36-46 in Pitino's first year. The college legend ultimately could not adapt to the dynamics of the league, resigning in 2001 with a 102-146 record.
Jeff Sherman, head NBA oddsmaker at SuperBook Las Vegas, described the "Nova Knicks" as a unique collection of talent, providing an intriguing outlier of a collegiate powerhouse that reunites years later in the NBA. Questions remain on how often Jay Wright's 4-out-1-in motion offense will be implemented by Knicks coach Tom Thibodeaux.
However, the acquisition of Bridges gives the Knicks another stifling perimeter defender alongside O.G. Anunoby. When the Knicks face the defending champion Celtics, Thibs has the option of placing two shutdown defenders in Bridges and Anunoby on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, respectively.
“I think here you have all the ingredients for a rare situation from a leadership standpoint, both by Thibs and Brunson making others better by his exceptional play,” Sherman told Action Network.
Optimism on the Futures Market
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Knicks ranked first in money wagered at the SuperBook on the NBA Finals market (odds of 8/1). The operator has received several four-figure wagers on the Knicks to capture the title, providing decent support before the start of training camp, Sherman notesd.
At BetMGM, bettors took the Knicks to win the East on a conference-high 28.4% of all tickets shortly after the start of free agency. At the same time, bettors chose the Knickerbockers on about 8.8% of all championship tickets.
Nevertheless, the Knicks have only attracted roughly 3% of the handle, indicating that the team is more of a "populist fan target" than a play among sharp bettors, according to BetMGM's The Roar. Large money wagers instead have been made on the Sixers, which received nearly 16% of the championship handle after the signing of Paul George.
The addition of George hasn't sapped enthusiasm among Knicks fans, many of whom believe their team can advance further than the Sixers again in 2025. A host of fans have already purchased "Nova Knicks" gear, including designer Lee Delgado, who wore a t-shirt with the logo at last Saturday's event.
After years of investing in aging superstars, the Knicks appear to be pivoting to a new strategy regarding roster composition. The rapport between teammates off the court may pay dividends at the Garden in pressurized situations.
"You can't buy chemistry," Delgado told Action Network. "You can pay George and all of these other guys, but you don't know if they will fit well."
Delgado plans to make a bet on the Knicks to win the title.
Recap of the @Roommates__Show block party! 📸 pic.twitter.com/TiPadpg10m
— Mill Media (@millsportsmedia) September 10, 2024
Marbury, who spent six seasons with the Knicks through 2009, also made an appearance on Saturday night. Despite failing to lead the Knicks on a deep playoff run, Marbury remains an ardent supporter of his beloved team. A Coney Island native, Marbury followed in the footsteps of tough New York City point guards such as Mark Jackson and Kenny Anderson.
"You bring a different type of energy," Marbury told the Roommates Show hosts. "You guys are really trying to win a championship."
Smoove, an actor on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," can be seen courtside at Madison Square Garden passionately cheering on Brunson and company. During the team's run last season, Smoove's co-stars Larry David and Susie Essman also took in a Knicks' game at MSG. To borrow a line from David, Smoove summarized the Knicks' recent ascent as "prettay…prettay…prettay good."
In many respects, Smoove believes the Knicks embody the city's ethos with Thibs' hard-nosed defensive style. As a result, the enthusiasm at the inaugural block party should not come as a surprise.
"Everywhere you go, there's a never-quit attitude, no matter what you do in life," Smoove exclaimed.
