“They wanna come visit, drop 60 on us, but they don’t not want to be here and do this on a regular basis” - Fat Joe believes players don’t want to join the New York Knicks because of the media smoke
Rapper Fat Joe is a New York Knicks superfan and a New York City expert. And the South Bronx native believes the Knicks are struggling to recruit players because of the local "media smoke."
The New York media has a reputation for being one of the most critical in the sports world, with the Knicks on the receiving end of plenty of criticism.
Fat Joe believes that the media criticism and the treatment of players are preventing players from joining the Knicks, saying:
"There has to be some truth to people not wanting that media smoke. They don't want to be in New York City. They wanna come visit, drop 60 on us, but they do not want to be here and do this on a regular basis. I don't know why. So, for me, alleviating the pressure is what KD and Kyrie did."
To his point, before Kevin Durant's arrival, the expectations for the Brooklyn Nets were different.
"Nobody ever won in Brooklyn, so they don't really get that same type of pressure of like, 'Yo, you primetime MSG," Fat Joe said.
In many ways, the Knicks are the heart and soul of NYC, with Madison Square Garden being the mecca of basketball and in the middle of the city.
While the Knicks have not been successful recently, the expectations are high every season, and the media pressure is something every player faces.
The media pressure that Fat Joe's New York Knicks currently face
Players like 2021 Most Improved Player Julius Randle were the subject of criticism for most of the season to the point that some believe he will want out of New York.
The Post's Knicks beat writer @NYPost_Berman discusses New York's late season run and the Julius Randle situation🎥 The Post's Knicks beat writer @NYPost_Berman discusses New York's late season run and the Julius Randle situation https://t.co/f6mWOegW7X
Fat Joe's comments follow a narrative that fans have seen from the team for years, and it does not seem likely to change going forward.
The current leadership group for the New York Knicks has been responsible for one of the least successful eras in the team's history. That has the media and fans much less forgiving of the failures.
Fat Joe is correct that the pressure on New York Knicks players to succeed in Madison Square Garden is much higher than for the Brooklyn Nets. That's because of the way the people of NYC feel about the team.
Last season, Fat Joe and MSG saw the New York Knicks in the playoffs and created an atmosphere the Nets could not complete in their multiple playoff series.
If the Knicks are going to find success, they will need players who can thrive in the NYC media environment.