There were cheers going around as fun, frolic and some jazzy music set the stage for some crazy moves while the beat was on! It was meant to be one of the coolest antics that the 19-year-old Internet sensation iShowSpeed wanted to pull off. The performance was expected to make the crowd cheer wildly and showcase his athleticism in front of all sports celebs. But guess what? Josh Hart was having none of it!

The New York Knicks forward Hart visibly struggled to trust iShowSpeed with his backflip while sitting on the couch. This was a part of Fanatics Fest but Josh was caught off guard by the antics coming his way. Maybe the fear of unexpected face kicks was all too real for Hart. The event was star-studded, primarily featuring Knicks players and legends, but it also included other celebs like iShowSpeed. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart shared the spotlight with 7x Super Bowl champion Tom Brady and the New Orleans’ influential rapper Lil Wayne.

Things took an interesting flip when iShowSpeed wanted to grab hold of the opportunity and try out his athleticism-induced trick in front of the Knicks star duo. But there was an insane catch to it as the streamer intended to step on the armrest of the couch while Hart was still sitting. Despite him trying to exercise his power of persuasion to the best of his ability, Hart shook his head, saying, “Not part of this!” The others on stage encouraged him by cheering and saying, “Sit down Josh. Josh you gotta do it man!”

Amidst all the chaos, Lil Wayne’s emerged as a surprising ‘voice of reason’ for Hart. “You might just kick Josh. Be careful okay, you might just kick Josh on the face!,” the rapper told iShowSpeed. However, the internet star didn’t back down and carried out his antics with a different person while Hart, still uneasy about his refusal, sat in his chair and started doing the countdown. Given iShowSpeed’s confidence from the start, it was no surprise that his flip succeeded, receiving loud cheers and applause from the fans, with a special acknowledgement from the Knicks star himself.

Fanatic Fest stood true to its test!

iShowSpeed had more surprises in store! With the Fanatic Fever at a high, he was determined to take the excitement up a notch. In the challenge race with rapper Travis Scott, Speed lived true to his name by quickly overtaking Scott. Instead of showing off, Speed greeted the  rapper with a “come on bro.” The streamer even threw down a challenge for Adin Ross to a wrestling match in front of Dana White.

This burst of amusement was followed by Brunson receiving a customized jersey with his No. 11 from the English soccer champions Manchester City. The All-Star point guard’s jersey picture found its spot on the Knicks social media team with the caption “Mr. New York”. This didn’t go all too well with Hart, who was already trying to recover from the ‘antics test’. The duo are diehard soccer fans and have already proclaimed it countless times on their podcast The Roommates Show. As a supporter of Manchester City’s long-time rival Chelsea, Hart wasn’t pleased with the “Mr. New York” tag, leading to some friendly banter between the two. “My reaction when you’re scared to play CFB (Chelsea),” Brunson’s retweet read.

The stakes are high for the duo as they prepare for the upcoming NBA season. Last year, the Knicks had a strong showing, clinching the #2 spot in the Eastern Conference and reaching the semis. Additionally, Brunson secured a four-year, $156.5 million extension this offseason. It would be noteworthy to see what all the Knicks are able to pull off this time around with their stronger comeback.

After facing a heart-breaking defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in the 2024 Playoffs, Josh Hart and the other Knick stars are on the look out for redemption to send across a bold statement. One is hopeful that after this jarring backflip experience, there would be no more flips on the hardcourt that would make the Knicks’ forward uneasy. That backflip’s simply got no comparison!