Is Ken Jeong a Nuggets fan? 'Community' star steals show at NBA Finals
Actor and comedian Ken Jeong was present in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat on Thursday. Jeong seemingly cheered for the Nuggets, but is he really a fan of Western Conference champions?
Jeong was the most popular celebrity in attendance for Game 1. Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning were also present, but they have ties with the city of Denver. Wilson is the current Broncos quarterback, while Manning brought a Super Bowl title to the city in his final season in 2016.
Broncos coach Sean Payton was also in attendance, but he's also connected to the city. The Nuggets were so excited by the presence of Community star and The Masked Singer judge that they invited him to take a half-court shot during half-time.
The Nuggets mascot really showed Ken Jeong how it's done. 😂 https://t.co/P4MyY32MJY
Some fans on Twitter were surprised to see Ken Jeong at the game. Many thought that Jeong was a Denver Nuggets fan, but it seems like he's just rooting for the Nuggets. Jeong is a known fan of the LA Lakers, being a long-time resident of Calabasas.
The 53-year-old was even named an honorary captain of the Lakers two seasons ago. He was in attendance during the Western Conference Finals matchup between the Lakers and the Nuggets and was wearing purple and gold.
Ken Jeong 🤝 Ben Baller. See what they got up to as Honorary Captains.
#LakeShow x @bibigoUSA https://t.co/ymSbtRl2qh
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Ken Jeong is a huge hoops fan
Apart from being a LA Lakers fan, Ken Jeong is also a huge Duke fan, despite earning his medical degree at the University of North Carolina. Jeong was born in Detroit, Michigan, but grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The Hangover star went to Duke for his undergraduate studies and cheered for the Blue Devils ever since. He had the guts to cheer for them even though he was studying medicine at UNC several years later.
In an interview with Andscape in 2017, Jeong shared how he showed off his Duke fandom at UNC. It was a courageous act considering the deep-rooted rivalry between the two schools.
"I was obnoxious," Jeong said. "I had a dark blue Mustang, Duke bumper stickers all over it. We had to park at the Smith Center to go to class, and I'd be wearing my Duke paraphernalia and just simply didn't care. Looking back, I probably should’ve been more scared."
Ken Jeong practiced medicine for almost eight years before pursuing a career in comedy.
Jeong's breakout role was in Jude Apatow's Knocked Up in 2007 as Dr. Kuni. However, he really became popular for his portrayal of Leslie Chow in The Hangover trilogy.
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