John McEnroe was just 14 years old the last time New York celebrated an NBA championship. Now at 67, the former world number one tennis player and devoted basketball enthusiast is counting down the minutes until he can return home from his television commentary duties at the French Open to attend the New York Knicks' first home game of the NBA Finals.
"You can't ask for anything better. I've been waiting only 53 years," McEnroe said with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
"So, time has come. It's going to be awesome because Victor Wembanyama is out of this world. Can't ask for a better match-up. It is like a dream match-up, it's like getting your best guys to do their thing."
The French Open is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, which is Monday AEST. Game 3 of the NBA Finals will take place in New York the following day.
"Hopefully I'll be there," McEnroe said from Paris on Monday.
McEnroe's work commitments at Roland Garros cannot wrap up quickly enough for the passionate Knicks supporter. The last time the Knicks reached the Finals was in 1999, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs—the same opponent they face this year.
When a French reporter asked McEnroe if he fears Wembanyama, the French star leading the Spurs, McEnroe retorted, "No, he doesn't know who the hell I am."
Nevertheless, how can the Knicks stop the towering Wembanyama? "I don't know if you stop him. It's probably impossible to stop him," McEnroe admitted. "You just try to slow him down a little bit, I'm guessing, just make other guys beat you. But they got some great other players."
The Knicks have won only two titles in franchise history, in 1970 and 1973. "I loved Clyde. He was my favourite," McEnroe said of Walt 'Clyde' Frazier. "Willis Reed. What a great team. I thought that was going to happen regularly, so it took a little longer than anticipated."
Among the current Knicks roster, Josh Hart is McEnroe's favourite player. "He's so hungry and just makes everyone better and the offence-defence thing," McEnroe praised. "But you got to love Jalen Brunson, too."
When asked for his prediction, McEnroe confidently declared, "Knicks in six."
