Spike Lee Lands Another Knicks Artifact

Spike Lee added to his growing collection of rare, unique New York Knicks memorabilia.

Apr 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Actor and filmmaker Spike Lee celebrates in the fourth quarter in game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

No matter what happens with this New York Knicks season, superfan Spike Lee will be raising a banner.

Lee made a fine addition to his collection of unique Knicks memorabilia, announcing his acquisition of the team's original championship banner from 1970. The decorated director referred to his find, which previously hung from the rafters of Madison Square Garden, as the franchise's "Holy Grail" in an Instagram post.

"This Original Championship Banner Was Removed For The Renovation Of Da Current Garden And Was Stored In A Closet For Decades Collecting Dust [sic]," the director of "Do the Right Thing" and "25th Hour" wrote in his accompanying caption. "The Banner Hanging Now Is Not Da ORIGINAL. I GOT DAT."

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The Knicks earned the first of two NBA champion banners during the 1970 NBA Finals, which saw them take down the Los Angeles Lakers by a 4-3 final. New York duplicated the feat three seasons later and has been chasing ever since.

Lee notes that he was in the building for the famous final game that birthed the banner: the Game 7 showdown is best remembered for the entrance of Knicks captain Willis Reed, who was not expected to play in the finale after missing the previous contest due to a painful injury. Reed would score the first four points for New York before Walt "Clyde" Frazier took over to the tune of a 36-point, 19-assist double-double en route to a 113-99 victory.

Some believe that their current iteration has a realistic shot at finally ending the Knicks' title drought. Lee previously showcased another artifact, the net from Game 7, to active stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart during Fanatics Fest over the summer.

Metropolitan championship fever has gripped Lee, who continues to be a mainstay in Madison Square Garden's celebrity seating: Lee also took in the New York Liberty's run to their first WNBA title, one that likewise went the distance, ending with a 67-62 victory over the Minnesota Lynx last week.

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