Yardbarker
Yardbarker
x
Knicks Superfan Timothee Chalamet Enjoys Full Circle Moment
Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; American-French actor Timothee Chalamet sits courtside during the second quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Bene Gesserit themselves couldn't foresee the New York Knicks' success but celebrity fan Timothee Chalamet is soaking in every moment.

Chalamet, the face of the rebooted "Dune" franchise and more, was one of many famous fans packed into Madison Square Garden's most expensive seats for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal set against the Boston Celtics on Monday night.

Not only did Chalamet get to enjoy a 121-113 New York victory over the defending champions — one that placed the Knicks one win away from their first conference finals showing since 2000 — but he landed a full circle moment with former MSG star Amar'e Stoudemire.

By posing with Stoudemire, Chalamet, in his words, "closed the loop" with the six-time All-Star, as the two recreated a photo from the actor's past that has gone viral among Knicks fans amidst his recent rise. That prior picture, taken in 2010, depicted a teenage Chalamet getting his jersey signed by Stoudemire, then engaging in his first of five seasons with the Knicks. The two shared a handshake on Monday, which the Oscar-nominated star of "A Complete Unknown" shared on his Instagram story.

Chalamet has taken home a few coveted items from MSG this season, as Karl-Anthony Towns previously gifted him his game jersey from the Knicks' 37-point beatdown of Memphis back in January.

Stoudemire was put one ghost of Knicks past seated by the floor his sneakers once scraped, as Monday's guest list included Larry Johnson , Bernard King, Stephon Marbury, Latrell Sprewell, John Starks, Tim Thomas, and Gerald Wilkins, as well as Hall-of-Famer Walt "Clyde" Frazier and former coach/current St. John's men's basketball boss Rick Pitino.

Stars of the screen and of the sport watched the Knicks erase another double-figure deficit against Boston en route to victory. Jalen Brunson put forth a 39-point, 12-assist double-double while Towns and Mikal Bridges had 23 tallies each.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST

Dodgers Facing Trade Decision After Blake Snell News
MLB

Dodgers Facing Trade Decision After Blake Snell News

Left-handed starting pitcher Blake Snell is in his tenth major-league season after making his debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016. Snell spent time with the San Diego Padres, then signed a deal with the San Francisco Giants after the 2023 season, which he later opted out of to enter free agency in 2024. The 32-year-old veteran signed a five-year, $182 million contract this offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers after an exceptional 2024 campaign. Snell earned such a lucrative contract thanks to his outstanding career to date, which includes two Cy Young Awards and an All-Star appearance. Over 213 career starts, he owns a 77–58 record, a 3.18 ERA and 1,372 strikeouts. Snell was placed on the injured list on April 6 (retroactive to April 3) with left shoulder inflammation after experiencing discomfort during a bullpen session; he had made only two starts for the Dodgers before the injury. After four minor-league rehab outings, manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday that Snell is expected to rejoin the rotation next week. With his return looming, the Dodgers have decided to shift to a six-man rotation but now face a decision on right-hander Dustin May’s roster status. May returned to a full-time starting role for the first time in two seasons and has struggled. On Sunday against the Boston Red Sox, May allowed four runs in five innings of work, and he entered the start with an ERA of 4.73. May’s name has surfaced in trade rumors, and he is a candidate to potentially be moved to the bullpen. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

Bruins' David Pastrnak Calls Out Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: ‘He Just Lacks Humility'
NHL

Bruins' David Pastrnak Calls Out Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: ‘He Just Lacks Humility'

Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most promising players in the NHL, but now he has been called out by David Pastrnak, who stated he lacks humility. After being picked No. 1 overall in 2022 NHL Draft, expectations were high in Montreal for young star Juraj Slafkovsky, and thus far, he's shown glimpses of being the elite level player many expected when he entered the National Hockey League. However, there are still some major steps to go, and in a recent interview, Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak pointed out perhaps one area where the 21-year old may need to improve moving forward. When asked about Slafkovsky and his potential, Pastrnak gave nothing but a glowing review of the young Canadiens star, but he did note that he believes Slafkovsky needs more humility. 'He's still a young player who is gaining experience in the NHL every year. This season it was already clear that he gave the team more than before...He just needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the young ones.' On the ice, there's no doubting that Slafkovsky has the presence, the size and the talent to be a true star, posting 101 total points over the past two seasons, but for whatever reason, it appears as though Pastrnak believes he needs to improve off the ice before he can take a major leap in Montreal. Ultimately, the talent is still there for Slafkovsky, and at 21-years old, he'll continue to learn off the ice, and if he can go anywhere close to living up to the potential that he's shown in his first three years at the NHL level, there's no doubt that he can be a big time star and help lead the Canadiens to significant post-season success.

Stephanie White Puts Indiana Fever Players on Notice Despite Win Against Aces
WNBA

Stephanie White Puts Indiana Fever Players on Notice Despite Win Against Aces

The Indiana Fever’s starters turned in a strong all-around effort in Thursday’s 80-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces. The starting unit scored at least 13 points each, save for Aari McDonald, who registered nine points in 22 minutes of action. Indiana’s starters combined for 76 out of the team’s 80 points on the evening, which only means that the four other players who came off the bench accounted for just four points in the game. All that came from Sydney Colson, who went 2-of-5 in 18 minutes of playing time. Lexie Hull, Makayla Timpson and Damiris Dantas all failed to score in the win. Stephanie White Calls Out Fever's Bench Be that as it may, offense wasn’t even the biggest concern for head coach Stephanie White. In her postgame press conference, the veteran shot-caller called out Indiana’s bench for their lack of intensity on the defensive end, particularly in the first half. “Our bench has to be ready,” she said. “I felt like our bench in the second half was really good defensively. In the first half, I didn't feel that way. You got to be ready to come in and you got to be ready to guard your matchup and execute the game plan. "We have depth for a reason. We've got quality depth and we've got to be able to use it. So if fatigue is a factor in execution, then they just need to ask for a sub and I'll get them out and get them back in." It has been a bit of a busy stretch for the Fever at the midway point of the season. Thursday’s matchup against the Aces was their second game in three nights, and they will be back in action again on Sunday in a rivalry showdown against the Chicago Sky. White, however, isn’t accepting fatigue as an excuse. This is regardless of the fact that Caitlin Clark remains out with a re-aggravated groin injury. White is adamant that this roster has been built for adversity, and she didn’t hesitate to put her bench on notice after Thursday’s showing.

Former NBA MVP could be nearing the end of his career
NBA

Former NBA MVP could be nearing the end of his career

For the past two seasons, Joel Embiid has been dealing with a knee issue. The former MVP underwent surgery in April to try to repair his meniscus, the second time he's received such surgery in the past 12 months. Embiid recently sat down for a tell-all interview with ESPN's Dotun Akintoye, where he detailed the struggles his body is currently going through. "We're not going to push anything," Embiid said. "For my whole career, I felt like we never took that approach ... We don't have a timeline. Hopefully, sooner rather than later ... It's all about the results ... If I come back early enough and I'm still not myself, guess what? You're not winning any games." Embiid's struggles have left the Sixers in a precarious situation. President of basketball operations Daryl Morey has built the entire roster around the star center's unique skill set. Philadelphia has constructed a team to go as far as Embiid can take it. It makes sense, then, that Embiid is just as frustrated with his injury-induced absences as the rest of the Sixers fanbase. In a July 27 appearance on Sirius XM Radio, Sixers beat writer Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer shared a unique take on the big man's recent interview and the messaging he's been putting out recently. "I think Joel may know that the end is near, and this is just me saying, and it's kind of like explaining to people what he's been going through," Pompey said. "Because rarely do you have a guy tell you how much pain (they're in) and how much they're going through. The thing I took from it was no matter who is there, the culture is the same. And I feel like Joel Embiid knows that it may not be this season, but the end is near. Maybe he feels as though he can't play to the level he used to. I could be wrong. He could come out and have another MVP season. But that was my takeaway." Embiid is probably one more lost season away from making such a difficult decision. He's only suited up for 58 games over the past two seasons, 39 in 2023-24 and 19 in 2024-25. Embiid doesn't project as the sort of player who would accept a decline while still cashing enormous checks that limit his team's ability to compete. The problem for Embiid is that injuries are only half the battle. Even when healthy, conditioning has been his Achilles heel. So, not only would he need to stay injury-free, both with his knee and his back, but he would also need to get into the best shape of his life. Anything less, and the Sixers could be doomed to repeat their failures of the past. Embiid is still working his way through a long road of recovery. However, he may also be coming to terms that the NBA chapter of his life is on the final few pages, and that must be a daunting reality to face.

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!