Renowned filmmaker Spike Lee, an exceptionally dedicated fan of the New York Knicks, is a frequent courtside presence at Madison Square Garden. His beloved Knicks are currently facing a challenging situation, trailing the Indiana Pacers 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals and staring at elimination if they fail to win Game 5 of the series.

Lee's passion for a Knicks championship is so profound that he publicly declared he would give up an Academy Award for the team to achieve this feat. "I would give up an Academy Award. Oscar, for the Knicks to win a Championship," Lee stated on NBA on TNT, notably dressed in a blue and orange pinstriped suit. Lee is a two-time Academy Award winner, having received an honorary Oscar in 2015 and the award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2019 for his film BlacKkKlansman.

During his appearance on NBA on TNT, as the Knicks prepared for Game 5 against the Pacers, host Ernie Johnson posed a question to Lee: “If this is as far as it goes Spike, do you walk away feeling good about your team?” Lee sidestepped the question, reiterating his willingness to sacrifice an Oscar for a Knicks title. “I will give up an Academy Award, Oscar, for the Knicks to win a championship. I got two already,” Lee emphasized. This prompted a humorous retort from Charles Barkley, who, noting the Pacers' 3-1 series lead, quipped, "Well you're gonna keep 'em!" The comment elicited laughter from the crew, including Pacers legend Reggie Miller, and even Lee managed a smile. Shaquille O’Neal then humorously advised Barkley, “You should have used your internal voice.”

This interaction highlighted the established, easygoing chemistry between Barkley and Lee, who often engage in playful banter. This isn't the first instance of Barkley teasing the director. On a previous episode of the Dan Patrick Show, Barkley jokingly asserted, “Spike Lee has zero athletic ability.” In the same interview, Barkley also directed jests at WWE icon Mark Calaway, famously known as The Undertaker.

The New York Knicks have secured championships twice in Lee's lifetime, in 1970 and 1973, but have not claimed a title in over half a century. Unless the team orchestrates an extraordinary comeback in the Eastern Conference finals and subsequently defeats the Oklahoma City Thunder, it seems Lee's fervent wish will remain unfulfilled, irrespective of the accolades he's prepared to forgo. Despite his sports-related anxieties, Spike Lee remains widely recognized as an accomplished filmmaker whose narratives continue to captivate audiences.