"I grew up in Queens" - Knicks Star Precious Achiuwa dismisses Yankees allegiance, chooses rivals Mets as his team
New York Knicks star Precious Achiuwa caught himself in an awkward moment after the New York Yankees made it two wins against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS on Tuesday.
After the Knicks' win over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, Achiuwa and his teammates answered questions from the media in the locker room. However, the power forward was caught off guard when he was asked about the Yankees.
"Care about the Yankees?" asked a reporter.
"I'm a Mets fan," Achiuwa responded bluntly.
"You grew up in the Bronx?" the report queried.
"I went to school in the Bronx, I grew up in Queens," the Knicks' star clarified.
Born in Nigeria, Precious Achiuwa moved to the states after his parents settled in Queens.
The 25-year-old went to Our Saviour Lutheran School in New York and played basketball as a freshman. He represented the Memphis Tigers in college basketball. The 2020 AAC Player of the Year was picked by the Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA draft.
He signed for the Toronto Raptors in 2021 and was traded to the New York Knicks in December 2023. He played 49 games for the Knicks last season, averaging 24.2 minutes and 7.6 points with 1.1 assists.
Precious Achiuwa played 35 minutes in the team's fourth consecutive preseason win on Tuesday, leading the team with 20 points, the most by a Knicks player on the court.
Yankees could set up a Subway Series against rivals Mets
The Yankees and Mets share a fierce rivalry and the two rivals could set up a blockbuster World Series by winning their respective championship series.
While the Bronx Bombers are leading 2-0 in the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians and seem poised for a first World Series bout since 2009, the Mets are 1-1 against a much tougher opposition in the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Although the Dodgers are favorites for the NLDS pennant, the Mets have pulled off remarkable results this year and could pull off an upset and set a Subway Series for the Fall Classic.