Madison Square Garden has long been a place where celebrity presence adds to the spectacle, but in New York, not every courtside seat carries the same weight. On big playoff nights, the line between visiting stars and homegrown legends becomes especially clear.
The loudest reactions are not for Hollywood names like Ben Stiller or Tracy Morgan, but for Knicks icons such as Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, John Starks, Latrell Sprewell, and Bernard King.
Key Points:
- Knicks legends like Ewing, Johnson, Starks, and others receive the loudest cheers at Madison Square Garden during playoff games
- Former players now form a courtside “reunion section,” supporting the current Knicks during their postseason run
- Patrick Ewing says being present makes the legends feel “part of the team” despite no longer playing
- Larry Johnson and other ex-Knicks reflect on near-misses in the 1990s and their lasting bond with New York basketball
Knicks legends return to the Garden spotlight
Though none of these former players captured a championship, they remain central to the franchise’s identity and are now regular fixtures at playoff games. What was once them being cheered has turned into them cheering on the current Knicks, often gathering courtside behind the basket in an unofficial reunion of eras.
There is also a shared emotional thread with today’s team—led by Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Josh Hart—as the franchise chases a long-awaited title. Ewing summed up the sentiment, saying: “Us being here every night and seeing the things that are going on here makes us feel like we are part of it, part of the team,” Ewing said, “even though we’re old and beat up and our knees hurt and backs hurt.”
‘Once a Knick, always a Knick’ in full effect
Their presence has added another layer to the playoff atmosphere, with Game 1’s overtime win showcasing their reactions to every big moment. Ewing, Larry Johnson, and Marcus Camby were visibly engaged, while Stephon Marbury even briefly stepped onto the court during the celebration before later joking online: “I got swept up in the current like a plastic bag,” Marbury said. “My energy flew out of the roof, I lost my mind and my feet carried me somewhere they didn’t belong. Now, how about we run that back? Just kidding. Unless Jalen hits another one. Then all bets are off.”
The group’s connection to the current run is rooted in decades of near-misses and shared history. The 1990s Knicks famously fell short against all-time greats like Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Tim Duncan, despite multiple deep playoff runs that still live vividly in fan memory.
A legacy built on near-misses and lasting pride
From the 1994 Finals run to the 1999 eighth-seed push cut short by Ewing’s injury, those teams remain a defining chapter in Knicks history. Larry Johnson reflected on that bond, saying, “It’s hard to win a championship,” Johnson said.
Today, that legacy continues in real time at the Garden, where former Knicks now gather in a dedicated courtside section during playoff games. Ewing is present as a team ambassador, while others like Starks and Camby make regular appearances, reinforcing a sense of continuity between past and present.
Larry Johnson, still frequently reminded of his iconic four-point play, added: “All the time,” he said. “All the time. And you know what? I never get tired of it.”
He also noted the difference in connection with New York compared to other teams, saying: “You know how many times I’ve gone back to the Charlotte Hornets? Zero times,” he said. “I’ve been back to Charlotte because of Muggsy Bogues and Dell Curry, been back for their golf tournament but never been back to the arena, not one time.”
He added: “I don’t have no ill will, but they don’t do this,” Johnson said, pointing to his former Knicks teammates courtside. “The Knicks brought me back, brought Spree back, brought Marcus Camby, one of my best teammates, brought all of us back. If it takes us coming back to a game to see guys you haven’t seen in 10 years, 15 years, it’s more than worth it.”
And he closed with: “You know where my heart is. Once a Knick, always a Knick.”
