Anytime the New York Knicks play at Madison Square Garden, stars are expected to show up. Such was the case again on Wednesday night with Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo among the celebrities who watched the game between the Knicks and the visiting Philadelphia 76ers. Also in attendance was Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin, who was seated right next to Matarazzo.
Hamlin got loud cheers when his presence was acknowledged during a break in the game, as Matarazzo, who portrayed the role of Dustin in the hit Netflix original series.
Hamlin surely has lots of time on his hands to watch other sports, with the Bills and the rest of the NFL in offseason mode.
Hamlin, however, is a pending unrestricted free agent, so there’s a chance that he will not be back in Buffalo uniform for the 2025 NFL campaign. About to turn 24 years old on March 24, Hamlin is also mostly known for the scary health emergency he went through on the field during a 2023 Monday Night Football game between the Bill and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin eventually recovered and even managed to return to the field, playing in 14 games for the Bills in the 2024 campaign. During the season, Hamlin, who was a sixth-round selection (212th overall) by the Bills in the 2021 NFL draft, recorded his first two interceptions in the league, racked up a total of 89 combined tackles and a fumble recovery while playing 14 games, all as a starter.
Fans online also appear to love seeing Hamlin doing okay and enjoying the game along with Matarazzo.
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“Damar Hamlin sitting next to the stranger things kid is the crazy crossover I’ve seen this year,” a social media commenter said.
“Good to see Damar Hamlin in the building,” another one commented.
Via another X (formerly Twitter) user: “Glad to see Damar Hamlin supporting the game.”
“Great to see Damar Hamlin at MSG! His journey back to the field has been nothing short of inspiring, Is he just there as a guest,” one said.
“Enjoy your rest Damar,” chimed in another.
As for the NBA game itself, the Knicks avoided an upset loss, as they came through with a 110-105 victory over their Atlantic division rivals.
