Timothée Chalamet dunks on the Oscars after Knicks win the NBA Finals

If you ever needed proof that actors are just diehard sports fans like the rest of us, look no further than Timothée Chalamet celebrating the Knicks finally bagging an NBA title. The Oscar-nominated actor was right there at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks sealed the deal, and—unsurprisingly—he wasn’t shy about milking the moment. What he said wasn’t just a bit cheeky; it’s become proper internet fodder.

Chalamet at the Garden: Oscars Can Wait

So here’s the scene: the Knicks clinch the championship at home, the crowd’s absolutely losing it, and Chalamet, the self-confessed Knicks tragic, is courtside capturing it all on his phone. Forget the glitzy awards shows—according to him, this is what really matters. In a video shared by ESPN, he shouts right into camera:

'Way rather this than the Oscars.'

And he didn’t stop there either—there was a lot of 'C'mon, baby! Knicks are champions, baby!' energy going on as he kept filming the team. Frankly, you can’t fault his enthusiasm; the Knicks last won a title in 1973, so he’s waited a while for this.

Social Media Goes Off—Oscars in the Firing Line

As soon as Chalamet’s video hit the internet, social media (mainly X, which is what Twitter is called now—no one’s truly adjusted) erupted. Opinions split between those loving his jibe and those convinced he’s now blacklisted at the Oscars forever:

• 'Childhood dreams matter more than adulthood dreams, so it’s a valid response,' one fan reasoned.
• 'Now they’re NEVER giving him an Oscar,' was another, only half-joking.
• 'Timmy said Oscars? Nah, gimme that Knicks chip first. Absolute legend energy!'
• And, predictably, 'If such childish antics continue, the next Oscar will slip away too.'

Basically, the internet managed to turn a basketball win into an Oscars debate faster than you can say 'Best Costume Design'.

A Bit of Awards Baggage

You can’t ignore the timing, either. Chalamet’s one-liner comes about three months after he lost out on Best Actor at the Oscars—Michael B. Jordan won for Sinners. And apparently, not everyone in Hollywood was rooting for him either. One industry type told Page Six that Chalamet’s campaign for Marty Supreme ‘started it’, and reckoned his attitude—and yes, his sometimes eccentric red carpet wardrobe choices—worked against him. To quote the anonymous Hollywood source:

'The arrogance of his outfits, befitting a clown more than an Oscar winner.'

All to say, the Oscars probably aren’t sending Chalamet a congratulatory card for his Knicks comments any time soon.

The Knicks' Night—and the Champagne After

The basketball bit gets overlooked in all that award show drama, but let’s not forget: the Knicks just won their third franchise title, toppling the Spurs in Game 5. For a fan like Chalamet, getting to move from courtside straight into the locker room for the celebratory champagne spray was probably a career highlight—Oscars or no Oscars.