With the NBA Playoffs grabbing attention, the April 2026 playoff series between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks led to a viral trend where Knicks players were matched to gymnastics events, and it all started with Suni Lee, which made it feel like a fun surprise moment for fans. 

The post was shared by the New York Basketball on X, where Lee said, “Hey guys, it’s Suni Lee matching Knicks to gymnastics events," before breaking down her picks. Her comparisons weren’t random but based on each player’s physical traits and playing style. 

For Jalen Brunson, she noted, “Jalen is on the smaller side…I would give him bars.” She then described Josh Hart as “very strong…vault,” while calling OG Anunoby “very skilled…beam.” 

Lee continued the thread by linking Karl-Anthony Towns to floor exercise, saying, “KAT…very expressive…floor,” and assigned Mikal Bridges to bars as well, pointing out, “Mikal…very lengthy…bars.” 

The comparisons moved quickly across social media, as fans shared the post and talked about how each New York Knicks player fits a gymnastics event. What began as a simple idea soon became a major talking point of the playoffs, bringing basketball and gymnastics into the same online conversation. 

These unexpected moments usually show how Suni Lee has become a regular part of New York Knicks conversations around the team beyond gymnastics. 

From Olympic Glory to Viral Fan Spotlight 

Suni Lee is not just a viral name; she has already shown it on the biggest stage. At Tokyo 2020, she stepped up when Simone Biles took a break from the women's Individual and went on to win the gold medal, becoming the first Hmong-American gymnast to do so.

Additionally, at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she returned with three medals: team gold, individual all-around bronze, and uneven bars bronze, showcasing her strength across various events.

At the 2019 World Championships, she was part of the U.S. team that took gold, and she also won silver on floor exercise and bronze on uneven bars, showing strong performances in both power and skill-based events.

Later in NCAA gymnastics for Auburn University, she won the national title on balance beam, scored multiple perfect 10s, and kept delivering clean, confident routines in college meets.

But beyond her medals and routines, Suni Lee’s name also started coming up in a different place, NBA talks around the New York Knicks.

What started with her appearance at a 2024–25 season game later turned into repeated fan references after OG Anunoby’s 32-point outing against the Phoenix Suns in April 2025, where Knicks fans began connecting Knicks wins to her presence and jokingly calling her “Lady Luck.”

That casual visit slowly evolved into a recurring online storyline, with her name resurfacing during New York Knicks highlights and big-game discussions.

All of this shows how Suni Lee keeps coming up in New York Knicks playoff talk in a fun way, but is it just a passing joke, or something fans actually enjoy following every time the playoffs heat up?

Read more at Gymnastics Digest!

Written by

Divyanshi Raj

Edited by

Kaamna Dwivedi