While Stephen A. Smith wanted to vomit over the performance of the Knicks in Game 4, another ESPN personality was in a much better mood after the Pacers downed the Knicks to even the second-round series at 2-2.
Pat McAfee left Gainbridge Fieldhouse all smiles and was given a warm welcome by the Pacers, even getting to meet Tyrese Haliburton, president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard and head coach Rick Carlisle.
Video posted after the game showed the former NFL punter turned sports talk personality talking with Haliburton and congratulating him on a good game before introducing the Pacers star to his wife, Samantha.
The McAfees were sitting in Haliburton’s courtside seats for Sunday’s game and McAfee could be heard thanking Haliburton for the seats and telling him, “What a show.”
After the game, McAfee briefly met with Pritchard and Carlisle in the bowels of the arena,
“Nice job. We’re gonna bring you back every every third quarter cause you jacked them up man,” Pritchard told the sports talk host.
McAfee had been put on the video board before the start of the fourth quarter and gave a rousing speech to pump up the crowd with the Pacers already handily beating the Knicks.
Carlisle told McAfee that he was a “longtime admirer” when the two met.
Sunday was not only a special day with the Pacers and Knicks squaring off, but McAfee took time before the game to post a heartwarming Mother’s Day message to his wife, mother and other moms on Instagram.
“Sam, what you went thru to become a mom and what you’ve done since becoming a mother is nothing short of phenomenal.. You’ve made every moment matter for our baby girl,” part of the post read.
“I’m inspired, I’m in awe, and I can’t wait to watch the girl we created become a brilliant, funny, badass woman because of how her mom is leading the way. I love you.”
The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in May 2023.