Danhausen took his Knicks curse storyline to the national stage, crashing ESPN’s First Take ahead of NBA Finals Game 1 to hand Stephen A. Smith an ultimatum: give him a TV show, courtside seats, or more money, or watch the New York Knicks get cursed again. Smith did not play along, firing back on air by accusing the wrestler of blackmail.
The segment, which aired before the Knicks’ Finals opener against the San Antonio Spurs, turned Danhausen’s supernatural gimmick into a genuine crossover moment on mainstream sports television, according to ESPN First Take.
Danhausen made clear that Smith’s previous payments had bought results, but said the protection comes with new terms.
“Stephen A. Smith, your checks have cleared so far. However, if you want to keep this un-cursing going, perhaps Danhausen is gonna need his own TV show or more monies or perhaps those courtside seats. No big deal. You have until tip-off time to decide what happens with the curse,” Danhausen said.
Smith was not amused. He shot back by accusing Danhausen of “damaging his reputation by engaging in blackmail.”
How The Knicks Curse Storyline Got Here
The angle traces back to April 28, when Danhausen first lifted the curse on the Knicks. New York has rolled since then, sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers on the way to the Finals, giving the wrestler all the ammunition he needs to claim his powers are real.
The saga has already spilled into merchandise, with a Danhausen Knicks “uncursed” line landing on the WWE Shop after the curse lift. His demand for a TV show also lands differently given he recently signed with Adventure Media for management across film, TV, and digital.
For now, the question is whether Smith meets the latest demands before tip-off or risks the curse returning at the worst possible time. Either way, Danhausen has turned the Knicks’ Finals run into one of the strangest side stories in sports and wrestling.
Via ESPN First Take