Getty New York Knicks wing Josh Hart reacts during a bout with the Brooklyn Nets.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart set the tone for what is shaping up to be the most exciting first-round series in the Eastern Conference with a fiery comment on his friend and Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell’s Instagram post.
[Expletive] you,” Hart commented on Mitchell’s post showing a mixtape of his first season with the Cavaliers.
Hart’s blunt comment set Twitter on fire as Knicks fans got hyped for the playoff showdown between Mitchell’s hometown team and his new team.
Hart facetimed Mitchell on Wednesday to ensure he’ll have his turn at their barber for a fresh cut before Game 1.
Hart and Mitchell are longtime friends through their common friend Eric Paschall. Paschall is Mitchell’s best friend and a teammate of Hart at Villanova.
“We play video games together,” Hart said. “We talk trash; we do those kinds of things. We hang out. So, I’m definitely excited to be in the playoffs, play against him and make sure we’re ready, but we’re gonna make sure we’re ready for the [Cavaliers], and not only for Donovan Mitchell.”
Josh Hart Prepares to Stop Donovan Mitchell
Their friendship will take a backseat as Hart is tasked to slow Mitchell down off the bench. Hart has been magnificent for the Knicks since they acquired him at the trade deadline. They had a 9-0 start and a 17-8 record overall since he joined the team.
During their first meeting with Hart as a member of the Knicks — a 130-116 win on March 31, Mitchell’s only field goals against his friend came from behind the arc, going 2 for 3. He missed his two attempts inside the arc against Hart and committed one turnover against two assists.
“The challenge is to make him not score the [expletive] ball,” Hart told Newsday. “That’s the challenge. In the league, you have guys that no matter what you do, no matter how good the defense is, they’re gonna make shots. That’s what happens, especially when you sign up to be guarding the best players.”
Josh Hart Predicted to Re-Sign With Knicks
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report predicted that Josh Hart would stay in New York for the long haul.
“The business of basketball, of course, sometimes gets in the way, and if the Knicks want to keep Hart, they might have to shell out some serious coin. He has a $13 million player option for next season, per Spotrac, but he can beat that on the open market—possibly by a lot,” Buckley wrote.
Hart has openly talked about New York as a perfect fit for him on and off the court, and the Knicks did not give up a first-round pick just to let him walk away.
“I want bigger things for my wife and myself,” Hart recently told Andscape. “Just find a home somewhere where we are valued and really like living there. And I think that can be New York. I would love for it to be New York, and hopefully, the organization feels the same way. Coming up, this contract is hopefully my biggest one, one where I’m making sure my family’s fully taken care of. So, I’ve also got to take that into account, too.”