LeBron James began his 24th NBA season in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey on Tuesday night against the defending champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks fans, notorious for being extra loud, tried to spoil the night for the four-time NBA champion with some pointed chants.
Clips of the incident quickly spread online, with the NBA fans debating whether the Knicks were taking a victory lap over James or whether the 41-year-old was still living rent-free in their heads.
NBA Fans React as Knicks Crowd Chants ‘We Don’t Want You’ at LeBron James
Tuesday night was big for the Knicks fan base. They witnessed a historic moment as the team raised its championship banner, celebrating a title that ended a 53-year wait.
Emotions were running high when the MSG crowd decided to channel some of its excitement into taunting the former Los Angeles Lakers star.
During James’ first trip to the free-throw line in the first half, the crowd began chanting, “We don’t want you.” The repeated taunts appeared to have some effect on the NBA superstar, as James missed his second shot, which rattled off the rim.
The clip quickly circulated on social media, and the reactions were just as loud.
One fan lamented the chain of events that led to New York’s championship, writing, “Why tf did the Spurs have to choke bro, I’m wishing everything bad on this franchise idgaf.”
“They would have thrown a parade if Bron signed there,” another fan argued, suggesting the Knicks would have welcomed James if he had actually signed with them.
“Wembdy going to eternal hell for giving this team a ring,” a third fan quipped, taking aim at San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.
Another fan pointed out the irony of the crowd’s reaction, writing, “Knicks fans chanting ‘we don’t want you’ at lebron. Same city that begged him to come in 2010 free agency. 41 years old and still living rent free at msg lol.”
“Knicks fans with validated confidence long season ahead,” an NBA observer cautioned, pushing back against their newfound swagger.
One Knicks supporter, though, kept the response simple, declaring, “Best fan base.”
The latest hostility between the New York faithful and the four-time NBA MVP can be traced back to 76ers media day, when James acknowledged he had pictured himself playing at Madison Square Garden before the Knicks won the championship.
“I had visions of playing in Madison Square Garden and finishing my career in the Garden. One of the best places I’ve ever played…But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, ‘Hey, I can’t.’ I couldn’t do it. Y’all wouldn’t have let me lay that down, at all,” James said at the time.
The Knicks, on the other hand, reportedly had little interest in signing the league’s all-time leading scorer.
James ultimately signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Philadelphia, setting up a new chapter in his 24th year in the league.
One Knicks fan argued that James had tried to change the narrative after New York won the title, saying, “Knicks made it clear in the offseason they weren’t interested but LeBron tried to change the narrative saying he didn’t go there because they won the title. You could tell a big market like NY was his first choice once LA Lakers booted his [expletive] out.”
James wasn’t taking the heckling quietly, though. At one point, he turned toward a courtside fan and snapped back, “Ain’t nothing soft in the Midwest…I’m not from the West Coast, I’m from Ohio, baby. I’m an Ohio baby, [expletive] is you talking about?”
Despite the hostile reception, James and the 76ers spoiled the Knicks’ banner-raising celebration with a 106-100 win.
Philadelphia rallied from a four-point halftime deficit, led by Tyrese Maxey’s 28 points. Jaylen Brown added 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in his Philadelphia debut, while James finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists.
New York got its long-awaited championship celebration, but Philadelphia left with the opening-night victory. For James, the night offered another reminder that he remains one of the NBA’s biggest talking points.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.