Knicks’ first – The NBA Finals kicked off Wednesday at Frost Bank Center in Texas, with the New York Knicks beating the San Antonio Spurs 105-95. The game pulled in a star-heavy mix of business executives, entertainers, and sports figures—an early signal that the Finals aren’
The NBA Finals began on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center in Texas, and the night moved fast—starting with the New York Knicks taking on the San Antonio Spurs.
The Knicks made their first Finals appearance in more than two decades. They capped the night with a 105-95 victory over the Spurs.
That kind of turnaround had an obvious audience pull. The highly anticipated matchup drew a star-studded crowd of business executives, celebrity fans, and sports personalities, all showing up in person to watch the stakes play out.
Ben Stiller was spotted cheering on the New York Knicks at the game. A longtime Knicks fan, Stiller exited the arena with his phone in hand, capturing the moment after the Knicks’ win, per a video shared on X by Page Six.
Filmmaker Spike Lee took part in the ESPN pre-game show at the venue, showing up decked out in the Knicks’ signature blue and orange colors. In 2024, Lee was recognized as a SuperFan by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He has held New York Knicks season tickets since 1985, per ESPN.
Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was also in the building on Wednesday. He wore a blue-and-orange New York Knicks T-shirt, along with a chain necklace and bracelet. In a May video with Complex Sneakers. Morgan said he bought the Knicks team two pairs of Nike Kobe 5 “Bruce Lee” sneakers each in 2024. “Just to let them know I’m part of the fanbase and we appreciate what they do. ” Morgan said in the video. He also recently lent his voice to special New York City subway announcements encouraging fans to take the train to Knicks watch parties and home games at Madison Square Garden.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal arrived at the arena wearing a white T-shirt and blue Superman-print pants while carrying a suit jacket, per a video posted on X by Page Six. O’Neal is one of the hosts of the NBA Finals pregame show “NBA Tip-Off” and postgame show “Inside the NBA.”
Timothée Chalamet was seen making his way through the arena ahead of the game in a video shared on X by SNY, a regional sports TV network.
Former New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was also at the game, arriving in a cream-colored jacket and a white-and-orange Knicks T-shirt, per an X video shared by SNY Rangers. Lundqvist retired from the NHL in 2021 and now serves as a hockey analyst for TNT Sports.
Business and media power showed up too. Disney’s Bob Iger. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. and other media executives were spotted at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio. Disney board member Bob Iger. Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver were also present at Wednesday’s game. During the broadcast. the commentators for the night joked that the men made up a “murderers’ row of executives.” The NBA Finals air on ABC and are produced by ESPN. two Disney-owned networks.
Music also entered the arena before tip-off. Grammy award-winning singer Tori Kelly performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the game. She is set to release her sixth studio album on June 12.
The scene in San Antonio reflected the same truth the Knicks brought onto the court: when a long-awaited Finals moment arrives. it draws more than basketball attention. It pulls in celebrities. sports figures. and executives alike—people who aren’t just watching. but visibly signaling that the spotlight matters.
NBA Finals New York Knicks San Antonio Spurs Frost Bank Center 105-95 Ben Stiller Spike Lee Tracy Morgan Shaquille O'Neal Timothée Chalamet Henrik Lundqvist Bob Iger Josh D'Amaro James Pitaro Adam Silver Tori Kelly
Wall Street-sized stars? lol what even is that
I guess Knicks finally doing good and everybody suddenly cares. Ben Stiller was there, so that means it was a real big deal right? Spurs getting cooked 105-95 too.
Wait so this is the NBA Finals but it says Frost Bank Center in Texas… Knicks vs Spurs sounds more like an All-Star game to me. Also Spike Lee on ESPN pre-game like that’s proof the Knicks are gonna win the whole thing? Idk I stopped following after last year
The headline makes it sound like Wall Street was physically there like stocks on the scoreboard. But then it’s just celebrities and executives… still cool tho. I can’t believe the Knicks first Finals in 20+ years, makes me wonder why nobody cared before. Also Tracy Morgan buying Kobe 5s each year?? that part sounds fake but I’m not even sure lol