Stan Van Gundy Calls Out Knicks Fans — But the Numbers Tell a Different Story

Blunt and unfiltered, former NBA head coach and current TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy always says exactly what he thinks.

Van Gundy — brother of ex-New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy — questioned the supposed “love affair” between Knicks fans and their team ahead of their first-round playoff matchup with the Detroit Pistons.

“Well, they’re passionate [but] love affair? I don’t know,” Van Gundy said. “Love affair when they’re playing well, and hate affair when they’re not playing well. The Knicks fans and the [Philadelphia] fans… they’re front-running fans. They’re in love with their team when things are going well, but they’ll boo their team off the floor when they’re not playing well. That’s not a crowd that’s focused on lifting you up.”

Knicks fans have pushed back against Van Gundy’s take, and the numbers seem to be on their side. Not only do they consistently fill opposing arenas — including Detroit’s move to restrict outside ticket purchases — but historical attendance trends suggest their support never faded, even in the rough years.

Even in 2021-22, when the Knicks missed the playoffs, they still ranked eighth in league attendance. Three years earlier, during their 17-65 season, which tied for the worst in team history, they still finished in the top 10.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged the traveling Knicks faithful after a January win against the Brooklyn Nets in Brooklyn, where fans practically turned Barclays Center into a second home-court advantage. It wasn’t the first time — just last postseason, they took over Wells Fargo Center and helped their team to two clutch road wins against the Philadelphia 76ers.