“I Snuck Down”: Timothee Chalamet Recalls Witnessing Carmelo Anthony’s Infamous Knicks-Nuggets Brawl in Person
The New York Knicks have a reputation for being the boiling pot for celebrities to make an appearance. One of the most prominent figures as of late has been Hollywood star Timothee Chalamet. However, unlike most celebrities who attend Knicks games as a social event, Chalamet is a diehard fan. He has witnessed the good, the bad, and even the ugly of Knicks basketball.
Chalamet is New York through and through. Although some celebrities possess a rags-to-riches story, the Dune actor grew up in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan. By no means did Chalamet and his family live in dirt-poor conditions, but they also weren’t extremely wealthy. It was a luxury to attend Knicks games as a child.
In 2006, Chalamet’s family made his dream come true by giving him an early Christmas gift. That gift consisted of tickets to watch Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets take on the Knicks in Madison Square Garden on December 16, 2006.
At the time, the Knicks weren’t great, but that didn’t stop Chalamet from cheering. Unfortunately, his cheering didn’t equate to team success. With 1:15 remaining in the game, the Nuggets held a 119-100 lead. However, Chalamet would never have expected what would transpire next.
After a hard flagrant foul 2 by Knicks forward Mardy Collins, a brawl ensued. Anthony has tried to move on past that event, but Chalamet shocked the Hall-of-Fame forward with his presence at the game.
“One of my first games, I was 10 years old. Denver Nuggets versus New York Knicks,” Chalamet said on 7 PM in Brooklyn.
As soon as he listed the two teams, the cast knew immediately which game he was referring to. Anthony immediately issued a warning regarding the subject matter. “I vowed to Mardy that we will never speak about that again,” Anthony said. The eventual Knicks star has good reason to move past that game, considering his role in it.
Collins’ initial foul wasn’t on Anthony but on Nuggets guard J.R. Smith. Of course, a squirmish unfolded between the two teams, but nothing that hasn’t occurred in the NBA before. Just when tensions seemed to be coming to an end, Anthony confronted Collins before landing a punch in his face. The punch was so loud that the broadcast microphones were able to pick up the sound.
However, Chalamet didn’t bring up this game to get more information from Anthony. He continued to dive deep into the experience he had at the game. He wasn’t just sitting in the stands, but an active part of the atmosphere.
“If you look at the footage, I snuck down with my buddy Brett. You can see the players getting [into the tunnel], and it’s very pixelated on the footage, but you can see a little kid going nuts. That was me.” Chalamet said.
Chalamet wasn’t lying. The footage shows two kids on the right side of the players’ tunnel entrance, with one of them being none other than Chalamet.
It’s great to see true fandom being represented on the biggest stage. Chalamet may be one of the top rising stars in entertainment, but at the end of the day, he is just a regular sports fan like the average person.
