New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

OG Anunoby is becoming a cult hero in New York

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Dec 6, 2024 6:14 AM ET

Nearly 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden broke out thunderous chants of "OG! OG!" after Knicks forward OG Anunoby blocked two three-point attempts in the same Hornets possession Thursday night.

In the very next possession, he contested a Brandon Miller jumper (a miss) and ran to the other end to drain a three-pointer.

The sequence led to louder "OG!" chants, so much so that the otherwise stoic Anunoby broke out a rare smile. His head coach joked that Anunoby "was being checked" for breaking character.

Tom Thibodeau was asked about OG Anunoby smiling after his blocks

"He's being checked right now" pic.twitter.com/U3LKM0bLK2
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 6, 2024

Anunoby even had reporters in splits when asked about his rare smile.

OG Anunoby was asked about cracking a smile today when he's normally "deadpan"

"That's not true. I'm not deadpan. I'm exciting. Ask my teammates, I'm pretty exciting"

Reporter: "You're exciting? I'm missing it"

OG: *nods* "You are" pic.twitter.com/TIPCXJ1B7W
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 6, 2024

Due to a nationwide Knicks fanbase, Anunoby has been serenaded with "OG" chants even during the team's trips to places such as Denver. The three-and-D wing welcomes the appreciation.

OG Anunoby on the "OG" chants:

"I love it. I love it every time. Even on the road in Denver I loved it. Here I love it, I love it everywhere. It's awesome" pic.twitter.com/cMfqwmWrCM
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 6, 2024

With each passing game, Anunoby is becoming a beloved Knicks figure comparable to past fan favorites such as Rod Strickland, Anthony Mason, Jeremy Lin and John Starks. The Knicks fanbase has always reserved extra love for players who compete tooth and nail for every possession and elicit excitement with their play, even if they're not necessarily the team's best player.

Anunoby perfectly fits that blue-collared stereotype, as all he does is play hard every single night. Whether it's guarding the opponent's best scorer or making timely buckets, Anunoby nearly always answers the bell. Besides leading all Knicks staters in plus-minus (+7.8), Anunoby is averaging a career-high 17.7 points while making 2.3 threes per game.

On Thursday, he finished with 25 points, six rebounds, four steals and two blocks as the Knicks blew out the Hornets, 125-101. The win marked New York's fourth in a row and eighth in the last 10 games.

The Knicks (14-8) will next host the Pistons on Saturday.

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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