Acclaimed director Spike Lee expressed his willingness to exchange one of his Academy Awards to witness the New York Knicks claim victory in the NBA Finals.

"I got two. I would trade the honorary one and keep the one for screenwriting for 'BlacKkKlansman,'" Lee stated during a CNN interview released on Thursday. "Trade that in a second."

The filmmaker further suggested he might forgo another project with longtime collaborator Denzel Washington if it secured a Knicks championship. The pair have teamed up on five films spanning more than two decades.

"Well, Denzel said publicly like he only has two more films and he's done," Lee noted.

He added that the actor would likely understand the decision: "But Denzel understands why, he said already he's retiring."

Lee also shared a story about delivering Knicks jerseys to the Vatican after discovering that Pope Leo XIV graduated from Villanova University, the same school attended by three current Knicks players including captain Jalen Brunson.

"I had two going to Vatican City. I gave him one, signed by me, and I gave him another for him to sign. It came back two months later, but it was signed," Lee said.

A devoted Knicks supporter, Lee has been a fixture at Madison Square Garden for many years.

Throughout the Knicks' ongoing Finals appearance, Lee was present for each of the first four contests, traveling to San Antonio for Games 1 and 2 before heading back to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4.

In a May conversation with NPR, Lee recalled how his father introduced him to Knicks games during childhood. His father's attorney, who possessed season tickets in the Garden's yellow seats, allowed him to attend the 1970 NBA Finals.

"He said, 'You go to the game.' I was at the Willis Reed game slash Walt Frazier game, where the Knicks won their first NBA championship," Lee said.

The experience made such an impact that Lee made a personal vow. "So I said, Lord, if I ever make any money, I just want to get season tickets," he said.

Lee fulfilled that promise. He has held New York Knicks season tickets since 1985, according to ESPN. In 2024, he received recognition as a SuperFan from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

The typical price for a New York Knicks ticket ranges from $250 to $350, according to Ticketmaster. As of Friday, StubHub listings for Saturday's Game 5 started at roughly $1,400 and reached more than $35,000.