Billy Crystal, Spike Lee Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame’s SuperFan Gallery

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Billy Crystal, renowned actor and die-hard fan of a basketball team without a Hall of Fame pedigree, couldn’t help but highlight the unusual recognition he received.

“How strange to be getting a ring before any of the Clippers,” Crystal remarked with a chuckle.


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Crystal, along with fellow entertainer and filmmaker Spike Lee, and Philadelphia businessman Alan Horwitz, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery in a ceremony held on Sunday. Iconic Lakers fan Jack Nicholson was also honored but was unable to attend.

Dressed in a sports jacket and slacks, Crystal mingled with Lee and Horwitz, who opted for courtside casual attire. Lee sported an orange vest over a New York sweatshirt, complemented by a black Knicks bucket hat. He bantered with the crowd as though he were back at Madison Square Garden.

“I saw some Boston Celtic green. Uh-uh,” Lee quipped, flashing coach Red Holzman’s 1973 NBA championship ring—the last title the Knicks secured.

“It’s been a long time, but I think this year it’s going to be orange-and-blue skies,” Lee predicted optimistically.

Horwitz, celebrated as the 76ers’ Sixth Man, arrived in a 76ers sweatshirt, blue Sixers hat, and matching blue-and-white sneakers. He became emotional, reflecting on how proud his late mother would have been of this honor.

Their shared histories as fervent basketball followers span over five decades. Horwitz reminisced about watching the Philadelphia Warriors when Wilt Chamberlain was a rookie in 1959. Crystal’s passion ignited a few years earlier in high school, as he followed another budding star, Larry Brown, who later gained Hall of Fame status as a championship-winning coach.

Lee’s connection to the Knicks dates back to their first championship victory in 1970, a moment he witnessed in person. Crystal, originally a Knicks fan, frequented Madison Square Garden before relocating across the country, where he started attending Lakers games. However, a suggestion to catch a Clippers game drastically altered his allegiance.

“And I said, ‘Why?'” Crystal recalled, laughing.

Yet, he was captivated and remained a loyal Clippers supporter, despite their championship drought. Lee has held Knicks season tickets since 1985, coinciding with Patrick Ewing’s draft, gradually moving closer to prime seats with each film he directed.

“Every film I moved down,” Lee noted with a grin.

While Lee holds high hopes for a Knicks championship this season, Crystal is more tempered in his expectations for the Clippers. Nonetheless, he emphasized that true fans remain steadfast, regardless of their team’s fortunes.

A poignant moment at the ceremony underscored this sentiment. As Crystal addressed the crowd, a baby began crying.

“That’s how we felt for the last 30 years,” Crystal said, capturing the emotional rollercoaster of a die-hard fan.