SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Actor Billy Crystal, recognized for his unwavering support of a basketball team lacking a significant Hall of Fame legacy, couldn’t resist acknowledging the situation’s irony.
“How unusual to receive a championship ring before any of the Clippers,” he commented, reflecting on his newly acquired status.
Crystal was honored as he was inducted into the James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame during a ceremony held on Sunday. He was joined by director and actor Spike Lee, along with Philadelphia entrepreneur Alan Horwitz. Although Jack Nicholson, a long-time fan of the Lakers, was also recognized, he was unable to attend the event.
Dressed in a smart sports jacket and slacks, Crystal shared the spotlight with Lee and Horwitz, who embraced a court-side attire. Lee, wearing an orange vest over a New York sweatshirt and topped with a black New York Knicks bucket hat, engaged in a spirited exchange reminiscent of his seating spot at Madison Square Garden.
During the ceremony, he noted the presence of “Boston Celtic green” in the audience, signaling his allegiance, before proudly displaying coach Red Holzman’s 1973 NBA championship ring—the last earned by the Knicks.
“Although it’s been quite some time, I sense this year holds potential; it might just be orange-and-blue skies,” Lee stated optimistically.
Horwitz, affectionately referred to as the 76ers’ Sixth Man, sported a Philadelphia 76ers sweatshirt, a blue hat, and matching sneakers. He became emotional while reminiscing about how proud his mother would have been if she had witnessed this acknowledgment.
Their shared journey as die-hard basketball fans extends back more than fifty years. Horwitz was a spectator for the Philadelphia Warriors during Wilt Chamberlain’s rookie season in 1959. Crystal, a high school student before Horwitz’s experience, developed enthusiasm for another player, Larry Brown, who would later join the Hall of Fame as a coach.
Lee vividly remembers being in attendance when the Knicks captured their first championship in 1970. Meanwhile, Crystal has frequently visited Madison Square Garden over the years, initially cheering for the Knicks. His allegiance shifted to the Lakers after relocating, but a recommendation led him to attend a Clippers match.
“Initially, I questioned, ‘Why should I?’” Crystal recounted.
Ultimately, he embraced the Clippers and has loyally supported them, despite never witnessing a championship victory from the team. In contrast, Lee has held Knicks season tickets since 1985, ever since the franchise drafted Patrick Ewing, though achieving his current prime seating took a while.
“With every film I produced, I moved down,” he shared with a chuckle.
While Lee’s rhetoric surrounds championship aspirations for the upcoming season, Crystal has lower expectations for the Clippers. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that passionate fans continue to back their teams through thick and thin.
The journey isn’t always smooth, as a baby in the audience began to cry during Crystal’s speech.
“That’s pretty much how we’ve felt for the last 30 years,” Crystal quipped, summarizing the rollercoaster emotions of devoted supporters.