Owen Madigan
Student, Clinton Hill (pictured above)
How long have you been coming to Knicks games?
As long as I can remember. My parents were like obsessed with Patrick Ewing and the team with John Starks. They probably started taking me in like the third grade. I think my first game was Knicks-Celtics. It had big New York energy.
What do you mean?
Like when I was walking in today, the first thing I told my dad was that I’m ready to see a drunk Italian. There’s always going to be a dude wearing a full tracksuit saying just absurdly foul shit the whole game. You’re always also going to see a group of high-school students. We’re sitting next to some today; I think they go to Trinity. They’re always so into the stats, just geeking out with their homies the whole time. Like, “Oh, he’s going to drop 30 tonight.” It can almost feel like a comedy show where you’re just waiting for someone around you to drop that perfect one-liner that has everyone pissing their pants laughing.
Have you heard any tonight?
Most of them are probably too explicit to repeat. But there was one guy who spent an entire quarter screaming at the bench about Anthony Davis’s unibrow. He was like, “Get the electric shaver out!”
Sheryl Holloway-Davis
Nurse, Freehold, New Jersey
Cameron Price
Sixth-grader, Upper East Side
Greg Armstrong
Retail manager, Middletown
Is your outfit coordinated?
Yes. I plan everything I’m going to wear the night before games. I probably have 200 jerseys and Knicks sweaters. You have to be coordinated, especially with the bigger games, like this one, because you know it’s going to be a star-studded crowd.
Owen Price
Sixth-grader, Upper East Side
Gary Bitetto
Retired, Franklin Square, Long Island
Where do you sit?
After 22 years, I’m in row one. I actually have that on my license plate now, “Row 1.” I’m the only guy in my section who’s a nobody; everyone else is someone. But Fat Joe is my big buddy. He always says hello. I’ve sat with Justin Tuck, World Wide Wes. They call me Courtside Gary.
Devin Davis
Seventh-grader, Freehold, New Jersey
Andre Davis
Marketing consultant, Freehold, New Jersey
Emily Librot
Sales executive, Upper East Side
Designer, Westchester
Do you go to all of Julius’s games?
Yes. He’s always said that MSG is his favorite arena, so it’s pretty surreal for both of us. Our older son, Kyden, too — he’s my Game Day date. We say he’s growing up in the Garden. He knows when all the games are happening and gets really upset if I don’t take him. Everyone always comes up to him and daps him up.
Brandon Davis
Finance-portfolio manager, Hoboken, New Jersey
How did you get these seats?
My dad surprised me with them. He sent me an email while I was on a work call. I opened it and saw the tickets. Then I saw the seats themselves. I had to ask my boss if I could step out for a second, then went to the bathroom and just started screaming. Coming back into the meeting, I had to try to regain my composure.
Actor, Toronto
Are you a big basketball fan?
Massive. I used to think I was destined for the NBA before I capped out at a solid five-11-and-a-half. I’m here tonight with my childhood friends Peter and Jason. We ended up having a wonderful conversation with Trevor Noah, who was sitting close by. We bonded over our mutual hatred for Ronny Chieng, who for some reason keeps finding ways to work with both of us.
CC Sabathia
Retired Yankee, Bergen County, New Jersey
Anne Fass
Retired, Mamaroneck
Trevor Noah
Late-night host, Manhattan
What’s it like sitting courtside here?
I don’t think you ever get used to it. There are like seven-foot giants bouncing a ball in front of you. You also get to see Spike Lee. I only learned the rules of basketball a few years ago, so for a while, I would just watch Spike to figure out how the game was going. He’s a great barometer.
Kyden Randle
Preschooler, Westchester
Trevor Lochan
Teacher, Huntington, Long Island
Scott Passett
Corporate lawyer, Merrick, Long Island
Yahna McPherson
Digital-media supervisor, Upper East Side
So being a Knicks City Dancer is a second job for you?
Yeah, I’ve worked in advertising the whole time I’ve danced for the Knicks. We did the halftime show with Tinashe today. It was a lot to handle because we only had six hours yesterday to get it together. I had all these dances to learn, plus I’m also thinking about all the deliverables I’m responsible for.
Sheryl Holloway-Davis
Nurse, Freehold, New Jersey
Cameron Price
Sixth-grader, Upper East Side
Greg Armstrong
Retail manager, Middletown
Is your outfit coordinated?
Yes. I plan everything I’m going to wear the night before games. I probably have 200 jerseys and Knicks sweaters. You have to be coordinated, especially with the bigger games, like this one, because you know it’s going to be a star-studded crowd.
Owen Price
Sixth-grader, Upper East Side
Gary Bitetto
Retired, Franklin Square, Long Island
Where do you sit?
After 22 years, I’m in row one. I actually have that on my license plate now, “Row 1.” I’m the only guy in my section who’s a nobody; everyone else is someone. But Fat Joe is my big buddy. He always says hello. I’ve sat with Justin Tuck, World Wide Wes. They call me Courtside Gary.
Devin Davis
Seventh-grader, Freehold, New Jersey
Andre Davis
Marketing consultant, Freehold, New Jersey
Emily Librot
Sales executive, Upper East Side
Designer, Westchester
Do you go to all of Julius’s games?
Yes. He’s always said that MSG is his favorite arena, so it’s pretty surreal for both of us. Our older son, Kyden, too — he’s my Game Day date. We say he’s growing up in the Garden. He knows when all the games are happening and gets really upset if I don’t take him. Everyone always comes up to him and daps him up.
Brandon Davis
Finance-portfolio manager, Hoboken, New Jersey
How did you get these seats?
My dad surprised me with them. He sent me an email while I was on a work call. I opened it and saw the tickets. Then I saw the seats themselves. I had to ask my boss if I could step out for a second, then went to the bathroom and just started screaming. Coming back into the meeting, I had to try to regain my composure.
Actor, Toronto
Are you a big basketball fan?
Massive. I used to think I was destined for the NBA before I capped out at a solid five-11-and-a-half. I’m here tonight with my childhood friends Peter and Jason. We ended up having a wonderful conversation with Trevor Noah, who was sitting close by. We bonded over our mutual hatred for Ronny Chieng, who for some reason keeps finding ways to work with both of us.
CC Sabathia
Retired Yankee, Bergen County, New Jersey
Anne Fass
Retired, Mamaroneck
Trevor Noah
Late-night host, Manhattan
What’s it like sitting courtside here?
I don’t think you ever get used to it. There are like seven-foot giants bouncing a ball in front of you. You also get to see Spike Lee. I only learned the rules of basketball a few years ago, so for a while, I would just watch Spike to figure out how the game was going. He’s a great barometer.
Kyden Randle
Preschooler, Westchester
Trevor Lochan
Teacher, Huntington, Long Island
Scott Passett
Corporate lawyer, Merrick, Long Island
Yahna McPherson
Digital-media supervisor, Upper East Side
So being a Knicks City Dancer is a second job for you?
Yeah, I’ve worked in advertising the whole time I’ve danced for the Knicks. We did the halftime show with Tinashe today. It was a lot to handle because we only had six hours yesterday to get it together. I had all these dances to learn, plus I’m also thinking about all the deliverables I’m responsible for.
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