"Detroit instincts came out" - Jalen Rose hilariously describes jacking Patrick Ewing's custom TV set after Pacers vs Knicks game
Jalen Rose may not have had the same storied rivalry as Patrick Ewing and some of the other great centers of his time. Despite that, Rose didn't hesitate to steal a TV belonging to Ewing after an Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks game a number of years ago.
Back when the two men were both in the NBA, Rose's Pacers and Ewings' Knicks were both flying out of the same airport, when Rose stumbled across a box with Patrick Ewing's name on it. Noticing that there was no one around, he then proceeded to open up the box to see what was inside.
There he found a TV with a built-in VCR that likely was being flown around by Ewing so he could watch game tape. Rather than walking away from the situation, Rose decided to call up one of his friends and take the TV, throwing it in the trunk and taking it back to his house.
Jalen Rose recalled the situation in an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show several years ago:
"I walk in and I see a silver chest, with blue, and a sticker that says 'Patrick Ewing.' So then the Detroit instincts came out. I look to the left, I look to the right, [and] I hit the handles.
"I open it — it's a TV with a VCR attached. That was something then. We don't use VHS and VCRs anymore, but to have a TV, withthe attachment? And it has his name on it? I was like, 'I'm getting this.'"
Jalen Rose and Patrick Ewing's heated showdown prior to TV theft
Prior to Jalen Rose taking Patrick Ewing's TV at the airport, the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks were involved in a heated showdown. The game took place during the shortened 1998-99 season, in which Rose was knocked to the ground while grabbing a rebound.
In response, he decided to trip the big man while he was running up the court, sparking a fierce response from Ewing. As both players got to their feet, Ewing began to advance on Rose.
But before things got out of hand, referee Dick Bavetta jumped in the middle, separating the two men. While he succeeded in preventing things from escalating, he was also accidentally hit in the face by Rose.
After the game, Ewing was quoted by Ira Berkow of the New York Times as saying:
''I wanted to smack him, but ...''
The situation resulted in Jalen Rose getting ejected, while Ewing went on to have a massive night, scoring 37 points and hauling down 15 rebounds. The New York Knicks won the game, however, judging by Rose's story, it sounds as though he may have had the last laugh.