Tracy Morgan Put Josh Hart on Phone With Rap Legend Before Knicks' Win

The New York Knicks have plenty of famous fans cheering them on through their latest NBA Playoffs run, including actor and comedian Tracy Morgan.

Many of these superfans attend games at New York City’s famous arena, Madison Square Garden, throughout the season. However, the playoffs have become even more significant for the Knicks, as they are once again a top contender to reach the NBA Finals.

Morgan was among the multiple Knicks fans who made the journey to Philadelphia’s Spectrum Center on Friday to support the Knicks in Game 3 against the 76ers.

Other celeb fans mentioned and shown on camera at the venue included actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller, producer and director Spike Lee, and rapper Fat Joe, who decided to attend the game despite Joel Embiid’s earlier message not to sell any tickets to Knicks fans.

Way ahead of the game’s tip-off, a video clip captured Josh Hart on the court near the sidelines, where Tracy Morgan was in a nearby seat and on the phone with rap legend Nas.

Once Hart found out, he yelled over to Morgan to tell him to come to a Knicks game, so Morgan soon handed Hart the phone so Nas could speak with him.

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Nas, 52, burst onto the hip-hop scene in the early 1990s, becoming a popular star off his critically acclaimed debut album, “Illmatic,” and multiple follow-ups that many fans and critics consider classics in the genre.

He’s gone on to release 17 studio albums, including 2020’s “King’s Disease,” which won him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Most recently, he linked up with legendary producer DJ Premier for the collaborative album, “Light-Years.”

It’s unclear what Hart and Nas discussed on their brief phone call, but it may have been the kind of message that got Hart fired up for another strong performance.

The NBA on Prime shared a clip of the interaction featuring Morgan, Hart, and Nas on the phone, as part of their posts during the Knicks vs. 76ers game.

New York went on to win the game, 108-94, behind 33 points and nine assists from Jalen Brunson. Meanwhile, Hart recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while also dishing out three assists.

And New York looked like the more aggressive team on both ends of the court, including shooting 50% field goal percentage, and grabbing 49 rebounds compared to the 76ers' 33.

With that, the Knicks are now leading the series 3-0 and can achieve a second-round sweep on Sunday when they play Game 4 in Philadelphia. That would put them into the Eastern Conference Finals for the second-straight year.

Meanwhile, Hart has let Nas know he needs to join the hype train and show up in person to support the team, much like his friend, rapper Jay-Z, did for Game 2.

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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 8:10 PM.