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Stephen A. Smith Makes WWE-Style Promo For Knicks

In a rare display of metropolitan optimism, Stephen A. Smith donned a WWE title belt to acknowledge the New York Knicks' championship chances.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Stephen A. Smith in 2021.
Stephen A. Smith in 2021. / Tori Lynn Schneider / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Whatcha gonna do when New York Knicks fans run wild on you?

It's a distinct possibility this upcoming NBA season, as the Knicks carry one of their most optimistic forecasts in quite some time. The excitement was palpable at last weekend's Fanatics Fest at the Javits Center, as thousands of Knicks converged to get a glimpse of some of their modern heroes from the past and present.

ESPN commentator and Knicks fan/critic Stephen A. Smith was among them as he made his own rounds at Fanatics Fest. For his efforts, Smith was presented with a gift from WWE, a championship title belt bearing the Knicks' emblems. At first moved to tears by the offering, Smith proceeded to cut a wrestling-style promo that would make the likes of Stone Cold and The Rock proud.

"It’s a damn shame that belt's got to be made up for them, instead of them earning it," Smith said. "(But) I’m not going to be negative, cause we're on our way."

“We’re knocking on the door. We trying to come. We know (Giannis Antetokounmpo) is around. We know (Jayson) Tatum and Brown and them are in Boston. We saw Paul George go to Philadelphia. We don’t care. The Knicks are coming. The Knicks are coming. The Knicks are coming.”

Anticipation for this Knicks season perhaps hit a peak at the Javits Center, located mere blocks away from Madison Square Garden. It's enough to give Smith, well-known for his pessimism surrounding his beloved NBA squad, good vibes going into the year, which some envision ending with the Knicks' first championship since 1973.

Current Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart partook in a panel centered upon the team's past and current affairs alongside franchise legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier and celebrity superfans Spike Lee and Ben Stiller. Teammates Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo, and Julius Randle were also on hand to sign autographs at various points throughout the weekend.

Coming off a 50-win season that placed them second on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, the Knicks only upped the ante by trading for the former Nets star Bridges, the fourth Villanova alum to land on a stacked roster that also features fellow Main Line national champions Brunson, DiVincenzo, and Hart.

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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