NBC had a rough start to the 2026-27 NBA season, as some viewers couldn’t locate the season-opening game between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons on Tuesday afternoon. But all eyes were on NBC’s broadcast of the defending-champion New York Knicks hosting LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.
Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, and Jamal Crawford had the call, and while the 76ers’ 106-100 win gave them plenty to talk about, Knicks fans added color commentary of their own.
Just before halftime, Jalen Brunson shot free throws, and James couldn’t care less. Off-camera Knicks fans caught his ear, and while the broadcast waxed poetic about how James, 41, “still plays with the same joy,” NBC cameras caught an agitated James appearing to shout, “I’m not from the West Coast. I’m Ohio, baby. […] F*ck you talking about?”
“You don’t know what the fk you talkin about…I’m not from the west coast…I’m from Ohio baby. Ay…Fk you talkin about”
–– New NYC resident LeBron James meets his neighbors https://t.co/0eHhcLK2uz
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 21, 2026
Less than a minute later, Tirico addressed the elephant in the room when James again engaged in a heated discussion with fans sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden.
LMAOOOOOOOO https://t.co/bQaPtfQWnX
— Shabazz
(@ShowCaseShabazz) October 21, 2026
“He said hello to somebody over here,” Tirico said. “Spike Lee is over for a look and a chat. I heard a guy yell behind me, saying, ‘Hey, LeBron, just because you have a helicopter and you live in New York doesn’t mean we’re gonna cheer for you!’ LeBron is taking the helicopter rides back and forth from Philadelphia to New York and engaged here in some front-row convo.”
“That’s the last thing you wanna do is get LeBron going here in this building,” Miller added. “Here’s the guy in question that’s having words with LeBron. And guess who’s playing peacemaker? Spike Lee! He’s over here playing peacemaker. Boy, I have seen everything.”
James and his plan to commute via helicopter this season caught the attention of Pablo Torre, which didn’t end well for the Los Angeles Clippers. But NBA commissioner Adam Silver called it “perfectly appropriate” for Fanatics to supply James with a helicopter, if Front Office Sports’ report is correct that it’s part of his Fanatics deal.
“I’ve done it before,” James told reporters this week. “It’s another way of transportation.”
Back at Madison Square Garden, James got the last laugh, walking away from his 76ers debut with the win to start his NBA-record 24th season with a bang. Afterward, Zora Stephenson asked James if he enjoyed spoiling the Knicks’ ring night. “Yeah, I do. It’s pretty special,” James said with a smile.
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