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Spike Lee is, of course, in attendance at Madison Square Garden tonight for Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. And while Pope Leo is not there—he’s in Barcelona, where he blessed the 18th and final completed tower at the Sagrada Família—Lee has said that the pontiff is supporting the team.
The Knicks, he believes, have the backing of Leo. “This is our time. I’m not nervous. I’m not anxious. And we’ve been blessed by Pope Leo,” he told Vanity Fair. This past November, Lee met Pope Leo and gave him a Knicks jersey. “I gave Pope Leo a Knick jersey,” Lee says. “Anthony Mason’s number, number 14. He’s the 14th pope named Leo. And also, he signed a jersey for me. I wore it once during the playoffs, but I’m wearing it all during this Finals coming up. Signed by Pope Leo!”
However, tonight, Lee instead was in a blue and orange shirt, not his Pope Leo jersey. He wore the custom jersey that features “Pope Leo” on the back, signed by Leo XIV himself for Game 3, but likely decided that game (where the Knicks lost) had bad energy that he didn’t want to bring into Game 4. On the NBA pre-show, Ben Stiller said something similar: He and wife Christine Taylor “burned” the clothes they wore to Game 3, he joked.
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Lee during Game 3.
Pope Leo, who is from Chicago, attended Villanova University. The New York Knicks, currently, have three former Wildcats on their team: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. They’ve been called the “Nova Knicks,” and that’s why many believe Pope Leo supports the team (along with a now-viral clip of him giving a thumbs up to a fan yelling “Knicks” in Vatican City).
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Lee at Team Brazil’s practice.
Earlier today, Lee stopped by a Brazil training session ahead of the start of the World Cup tomorrow. “I want Brazil to win,” Lee told gathered media. “I’m here just for the practice, I have a game to see tonight.”
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Emily Burack (she/her) is the Deputy Digital Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals, and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms.