Spike Lee will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this month.
On Friday, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears announced the Basketball Hall of Fame would be inducting Lee into the James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery in a special ceremony on Oct. 13. Lee is being recognized for his die-hard New York Knick fandom and dedication to the team. Joining Lee in the SuperFan induction are Los Angeles Lakers superfan Jack Nicholson, Los Angeles Clippers superfan Billy Crystal, and Philadelphia 76ers superfan Alan Horwitz.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the addition of four new SuperFans to its James F. Goldstein SuperFan Gallery. Billy Crystal, Alan Horwitz, Spike Lee, and Jack Nicholson will be recognized during the Hall of Fame’s SuperFan Celebration on October 13.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) October 4, 2024
The award-winning director shared a message on his Instagram page showing his excitement about the induction and thanking the Hall of Fame committee for including him and his peers in the Superfan category.
“I Knew The Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame Inducted Players, Coaches, And Executives; However, I Never Knew That Could Happen For Fans To Be Celebrated In The Hall,” Spike wrote in his caption. “It’s Been My Experience That The Best Gifts I Have Received In My Life Were Complete Surprises. No Inkling, No Nuthin’, Then BOOM—I Got An Unexpected Phone Call Out Of Nowhere.”
He continued, “I Sincerely Thank The Basketball Hall Of Fame For This Totally Unexpected Blessing For My Love Of Basketball And My Crazy Love For The NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS! I Also Congratulate And Send Much Love To My Fellow Inductees Jack Nicholson, Billy Crystal And Alan Horwitz. And Dats Da Orange And Blue Skies Truth, Ruth. YA DIG? SHO-NUFF.”
Spike Lee has been a Knicks fan since the 1960s, and a season ticket holder at Madison Square Garden since 1985. He rarely misses a game, and he’s had some memorable moments sitting courtside at the Garden.
The SuperFan ceremony will happen on the same weekend as the 2024 Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups, and more will be forever immortalized in basketball history. The SuperFan Gallery was established in 2021, honoring some of the first fans, including Los Angeles basketball fan James F. Goldstein, Lakers fan Penny Marshall, and Toronto Raptors fan Nav Bhatia.