The OG Anunoby game ball was pulled from a Sotheby’s auction just 30 minutes before bids were supposed to open. And Ben Stiller, who might be the most recognizable face in the Knicks’ celebrity fan section, already knows what should happen next.
“Display it at the Garden forever,” Stiller told reporters. He called the last-minute cancellation a “smart move” by the team.
The ball in question is the one Anunoby tipped in during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks were down 29 points at one point in that game. Jalen Brunson heaved a deep three over Victor Wembanyama and missed. Anunoby was the inbounder and somehow materialized at the rim to tap it through. That gave New York a 3-1 series lead, and they closed out the title in Game 5. It was the franchise’s first championship since 1973.
How the Ball Ended Up Back With the Team
Sotheby’s initially acquired the ball and planned to sell it. But the Knicks stepped in and got it back before the auction went live. The team hasn’t said what they plan to do with it now. Stiller’s suggestion might carry some weight. He’s not just any fan. He attended every Finals game and has been filming footage on his phone for a documentary about the team. He also rode on a float during the championship parade on June 18.
The ball would have sold for a lot. Game-used Finals memorabilia with that kind of story behind it doesn’t come around often. But for Knicks fans, keeping it in the building feels right.
Stiller has been showing up at the Garden for years. Through the bad seasons, the rebuilding years, the near misses. Waiting 53 years for a championship is a long time. He finally got to see it happen, and he was there for the whole run.
The team hasn’t announced any plans for the ball yet. But if Stiller gets his way, it’ll end up somewhere inside Madison Square Garden where fans can see it. That would be a lot better than watching it disappear into a private collection.
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