The New York Knicks have been one of the league's top feel-good teams of the 2022-23 NBA season, as they boast a record of 39-27 through 66 games played and are currently riding high on a nine-game winning streak.

With their recent successes, the franchise's faithful followers have been vocal about their team pride, with oft-disgruntled superfan Stephen A. Smith even being visibly jubilant whilst discussing the club during a March 6 episode of ESPN's First Take.

However, Smith's high energy and excitement exuded seemed to come crashing down rather quickly, as former NBA Champion and current analyst Kendrick Perkins blasted him for his “wishy-washy” fandom, going as far as to harshly state that he doesn't believe Knicks fans “want you back.”

“I will not let you sit up there and think you're going to get away with talking about orange and blue skies
weren't you and Spike Lee the same people on your knees praying, showing disgust? Y'all were so disgusted on draft night. Y'all came on the show and you was harping about how y'all had three left-handed players when you added Jalen Brunson, and complaining about the draft pick, and saying ‘what are you doing?'”

Related New York Knicks NewsArticle continues below
Former professional basketball player and Michigan State alumni, Earving “Magic” Johnson, center, watches the Colorado Buffaloes take on the Michigan State Spartans in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at Lahaina Civic Center.
Magic Johnson identifies 6 players who will decide Knicks-Celtics Game 6
Featured image Charles Oakley
Knicks great Charles Oakley defends Tom Thibodeau with blunt message to critics

“You were so disgusted the first part of the season
Now all of a sudden you're going on this rant and I think right now, I think you went so far that (there's) really no coming back. I think the Knicks fans don't want you back because you're too d*amn wishy-washy when it comes down to the New York Knicks,” Perkins said.

Smith, a life-long Knicks fan, came into the 2022-23 season with incredibly low expectations for the team, stating that New York had simply partaken in “the same old nonsense” that they have in recent years. He has also been quite vocal about not wishing to attend games following the organization's lackluster 37-win season in 2021-22.

Though, perhaps some may believe it to be easy to see why the analyst had lost faith in his favorite NBA organization after years of disappointment and despair, Perkins doesn't seem all that willing to let the First Take host jump back on the bandwagon when the club is finally surging.