Ben Stiller is a New York Knicks superfan who certainly had plenty to say as the Knicks prepared to take on the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.
However, we will never know exactly what Stiller wanted to say. You can thank ESPN’s pre-game coverage for that.
ESPN had the actor on the field alongside retired players Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, current Golden State Warrior Draymond Green, and host Ernie Johnson as part of ESPN’s Within the NBA.
Just before the Knicks would finally come back from a 29-point deficit and retreat to the Polymarket odds to win it all, Stiller got the chance to boost his favorite team. Viewers were undoubtedly curious about Stiller’s thoughts.
Polymarket offer: Deposit $20 and get a $50 bonus
Johnson briefly introduced Stiller before giving the actor his turn under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. What followed was something Stiller could have edited from one of his films and then shot again. But not on live TV on Wednesday evening.
Stiller’s ESPN microphone was muted. This prompted the ever-outspoken Barkley to shout, “Good job, crew!”
Ben Stiller gets a muted microphone to begin his “Inside the NBA” appearance on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ACDI32Udpg
— Terrible announcement (@awfulannouncing) June 10, 2026
It’s safe to say that Stiller won’t be plucking any key handles from the ESPN production crew for his next film.
Johnson quickly turned around and asked Green to hand his working microphone to Stiller in an attempt to save the interview. Stiller quickly adapted and cited the “assist from Draymond Green.”
Will the New York Knicks win the 2026 NBA Finals?
Not all was lost and the interview continued after ESPN’s awkward moment.
It was certainly embarrassing, but far from the most embarrassing thing to happen on the MSG hardwood. That honor belonged to the visiting Spurs who made one costly mistake after another during the historic collapse.
After the loss, the Knicks now have a 79% chance of winning the NBA Finals Polymarkt. Their first chance to shut down the Spurs and win the title comes Saturday night in San Antonio. Game 5 is scheduled to end at 8:30 PM ET.
Polymarket offer: Deposit $20 and get a $50 bonus
- Click on the button below
- Download Polymarket app
- Deposit $20, get $50
- Place Trade
- Redeem winnings
Only for new users. Must be 18+.
PopCulture.com receives compensation when users sign up for Polymarket through links in this article. This content is intended for users 18 years or older. Polymarket is a prediction market platform and may not be available in all states or jurisdictions. Please check your local laws and regulations before participating.
Leave a Reply