May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts during the third quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Orange and blue jerseys worn by the New York Knicks faithful took over the upper deck of Mustang Harry’s, an Irish pub and restaurant two blocks from Madison Square Garden, on Saturday afternoon to meet Miles “Deuce” McBride during an event hosted by Omnifan.
The backup guard hasn’t been seen on the court since late January due to a groin injury that required surgery to repair. But when he made his way to the event, it felt as if he was still on the court with fans chanting “Deuce.”
“With players like Deuce, he’s a fan favorite, and it feels really great bringing something to the community that fans really want,” OmniFan co-founder Jennifer Gordon told amNewYork. “That is really paramount towards delivering our mission and being able to bring the fan community around something like this is priceless.”
In the lead-up to his return, McBride took photos with fans and signed autographs as part of the meet and greet. It was a successful afternoon, drawing in a number of individuals who shared their love of the team and the player.
“When we get together, we call it a family reunion because even if we never met, we have interactions online and just through different touch points. Getting together physically is the culmination of all our figurative blood, sweat, and tears,” Gordon said.
Fellow OmniFan co-founder and Jennifer’s sister, Jasmine Gordon, said that their goal is to give fans “access that they aren’t going to get through” the Knicks organization.
“When we thought of OmniFan we wanted to give fans access that they wouldn’t typically receive and it’s a major priority when we have these meet and greets,” she added.
The event itself featured several menu items, including popcorn chicken and tacos, named after McBride. Fans also entered into a raffle to potentially win two tickets to a Knicks game or a merchandise package from the “New York Or Nowhere” clothing line.
Omnifan hosted a trivia contest before McBride arrived an hour into the event. A few fans received prizes for having the correct answer to a question about McBride, who has quickly become a fan favorite in five seasons with the Knicks.
Posters of the sharp-shooting guard were put on sale for fans to buy and have autographed, while another fan displayed an artwork of McBride as an action hero standing over other NBA players.
“Deuce is an impactful player. He’s not playing right now, but everyone is anticipating him to be back because we need him to get to the playoffs,” one fan wearing a custom Knicks jacket and top hat told amNewYork.
He said he’s been coming to Omnifan events for “at least 10 years,” and that the event was a “family thing.”
Another fan talked about her experience creating a scrapbook that includes all the statistics from the Knicks’ past 13 seasons, dating back to 2013, when Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony was at the forefront of their success.
She said she is a big fan of McBride and wanted him to autograph a copy of “Deuce: The Champion of Friendship,” a children’s book he authored. She also noted that she loves combining her love of the team with her love of fashion to design custom Knicks apparel.
Omnifan has some events planned in the lead-up to the playoffs, including watch parties for Knicks games. Gordon was not able to disclose all the details, but did note that everyone should follow their Instagram account, @knicksomnifan, and view the information on their website, theomnifan.com.