Knicks Fan Seeks Divine Intervention at the Vatican Ahead of NBA Finals
In a remarkable twist of fate, a passionate New York Knicks fan found himself seeking a rather unconventional form of support for his beloved team – directly from His Holiness, Pope Leo. Robbie DeLasho, an American student with a deep-seated loyalty to the Knicks, embarked on a trip to Vatican City with a singular, audacious goal: to catch the Pope’s attention and enlist his spiritual backing for the upcoming NBA Finals.
The now-viral encounter took place in the iconic Saint Peter’s Square, where DeLasho seized his opportunity as Pope Leo passed by. Armed with his team pride and a bold proclamation, DeLasho called out to the pontiff, a fellow Chicago native and an alumnus of Villanova University – the very same alma mater as Knicks stars Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart.
In a moment captured on video, DeLasho can be heard exclaiming, “Pope Leo! Go Knicks! Knicks in four!” The Pope, in response, offered a discernible thumbs-up, a gesture that DeLasho interpreted as a significant acknowledgment.
Speaking to CBS News, DeLasho expressed his elation at the brief but memorable exchange. “You saw he gave me that thumbs up and a little like, little double thumbs up. I was like, yeah, yeah, he saw it,” he recounted, still buzzing from the experience.
While the extent of Pope Leo’s engagement with professional basketball, particularly the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, remains a mystery, DeLasho is holding out hope for some celestial assistance. He candidly admitted his aspirations, stating, “I mean, I’d like to hope so. Pope Leo can’t go out there and guard Wemby [Spurs star Victor Wembanyama], so I don’t know. But I’d like to hope that maybe it did something. Maybe it did something.”
DeLasho, who attends St. John’s University, a Catholic institution in New York, was not shy about his unconventional plan. He had informed his classmates and even his professors of his intention to wear a Knicks shirt to the Vatican in his quest to gain the Pope’s attention.
“I told my professor right away, I was like, just letting you know, I’m wearing a Knicks shirt and I’m getting his attention and I hope something comes out of it,” he shared. His classmates, understandably, questioned his sartorial choice for such a revered occasion. “My classmates were like, why would you not dress up? You’re going to see the Pope. You’re going to be at the Vatican. I was like, no, like, this is my plan. I’m doing it.”
The significance of the moment was not lost on DeLasho. He elaborated on the profound nature of the interaction: “Even just to make eye contact with the Pope. It’s one thing, but then also he’s going to like make the notion about my team, assuming that he understood what I was trying to do. That’s even crazier because obviously I’ve been, I’m a diehard Knicks fan.”
The Knicks were set to commence their NBA Finals campaign on the road in San Antonio on Wednesday night, facing a formidable challenge. Whether Pope Leo’s papal blessing, however indirectly received, will translate into tangible on-court advantages for the New York squad remains to be seen. However, for Robbie DeLasho and many other Knicks faithful, the hope for divine intervention, coupled with the sheer audacity of his Vatican pilgrimage, has already provided a unique and unforgettable pre-game spectacle. The interaction has undoubtedly added a spiritual dimension to the already high-stakes atmosphere of the NBA Finals, proving that fan devotion can indeed reach heavenly heights.
