The New York Knicks were headed towards their 45th loss of the season Monday night, and a young fan must have sensed Carmelo Anthony’s despair.
The little man “shocked” Melo by sneaking onto the court during a stoppage in play for an adorable hug.
Can't do that, kiddo: https://t.co/jL99XlxnE7 https://t.co/1oDcabTIgP
— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 29, 2016
.@carmeloanthony received a hug from a little kid during tonight’s game. His reaction: “Very surprised." #Knickshttps://t.co/UmY6cAFP7f
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 29, 2016
The New Orleans Pelicans held off the visiting Knicks 99-91.
Per the AP:
When he saw it was a young boy who’d somehow slipped through courtside security to give him a hug, his instinct was to react with an affectionate pat on the head. […] “It was a little kid,” Anthony said when explaining his friendly response. “I was shocked. I didn’t really know who was it until I actually looked over and saw that it was a kid.”
The boy ran onto the court during a stoppage in play with the Knicks on their offensive end, then was shooed back off the court by game official Kevin Cutler. […] The chief of arena security at the Smoothie King Center, Russ Bourgeois, declined to comment on the incident. So it was not immediately clear if the boy or his guardian were cited in any way or removed from the building.
In New York City, the so-called “Calvin Klein Law” subjects those who walk onto the court during a game to arrest and fines. The law was passed in 2003 after fashion designer Calvin Klein walked onto the court at Madison Square Garden and attempted to chat with Knicks player Latrell Sprewell.
