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NBA
Danhausen and the WWE-loving Knicks: A beginner's guide to the curse carrying New York to the precipice of the NBA Finals
TL;DR
The Knicks' playoff success may be tied to WWE star Danhausen, who cursed Stephen A. Smith during a critical moment in their series against the Hawks. After a Cameo request lifted the curse, the Knicks eliminated the Hawks and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Key points
- Danhausen debuted at WWE's Elimination Chamber in February.
- He cursed Stephen A. Smith during the Knicks' playoff series.
- The Knicks lifted the curse after a Cameo request.
- They eliminated the Hawks and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
- Karl-Anthony Towns is pursuing WWE memorabilia.
Mentioned in this story
DanhausenStephen A. SmithJalen BrunsonKarl-Anthony TownsWWE
New York KnicksAtlanta Hawks
Do the Knicksā NBA championship hopes hinge on the temperament of one of WWEās newest and biggest stars? Before you completely disregard that previous sentence, letās dive into what it actually means. For the uninitiated, Danhausen made his debut at WWEās Elimination Chamber premium live event in February. One of the most eccentric personalities in a world built on them, Danhausenās debut was met with a lukewarm reaction from the wrestling world, partially due to an overhyped build-up. At the time, there was no telling how he would factor into WWE programming, let alone find himself as a tangential figure in the NBA playoffs. Quite literally everything about Danhausen is equal parts bizarre and captivating. The way he talks, his mannerisms, his obsession with jars of teeth and ā perhaps most importantly ā his penchant for *curses*. Clad in black-and-white facepaint, Danhausenās persona wasnāt unfamiliar to wrestling fans who had followed his career before he came to WWE, but within a matter of weeks after his debut, the newcomer had become arguably the most entertaining character in the company and was deployed in seemingly every promotional way. Enter Stephen A. Smith. During an appearance on āFirst Takeā to promote WrestleMania 42, Danhausen got into it with Smith, and cursed him right in the middle of the Knicksā first-round playoff series against the Hawks. The Knicks, the higher seed with an undeniable edge in experience and roster talent, suddenly found themselves down 2-1 to Atlanta.
Danhausen curses Stephen A Smith on ESPN pic.twitter.com/A9J8lQ8JA3
ā Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) April 17, 2026 .@stephenasmith APOLOGIZE and Danhausen will think about maybe possibly pondering lifting your curse.
Also send human money. @FirstTakepic.twitter.com/pWUeUGnb4I
ā Danhausen (@DanhausenAD) April 24, 2026 After Danhausen received āhuman moneyā in the form of a Cameo video request, he lifted the curse on the Knicks. Our very our bought a cameo from Danhausen in order to reverse the curse on the and curse the Atlanta Hawks.
Q&A
How did Danhausen's curse affect the Knicks' playoff performance?
Danhausen's curse seemed to coincide with the Knicks falling behind in their playoff series, but after the curse was lifted, they won every game since.
What are Danhausen's conditions for lifting the curse on the Knicks?
Danhausen requested courtside seats for the Eastern Conference Finals next to Timothy Chalamet to keep the curse lifted.
What notable actions did Jalen Brunson take related to pro wrestling?
Jalen Brunson, an All-Star point guard, has a Roman Reigns-inspired handshake with a team trainer and often discusses wrestling in interviews.
What recent news involves Karl-Anthony Towns and WWE memorabilia?
Karl-Anthony Towns revealed he placed a $60,000 bounty on a John Cena card after being outbid for a Randy Orton card.