The 2025 NBA Draft has made its way to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 25, and it’s going to be there for a day. One of the biggest headlines from the day? Cooper Flagg, the standout freshman from Duke University, was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, making him the sixth player from Duke to ever go first overall in NBA Draft history. But also, surprise, there was something for the gymnastics fan as well. After all, Suni Lee was out there interviewing the top players who walked the NBA red carpet. And getting interviewed as well! Confused?

After interviewing a lot of draft prospects, Suni Lee herself faced some questions from none other than shooting guard Jared McCain. In a conversation on the NBA red carpet, Suni Lee tells him, “My arm is so sore from keeping my arm up.” The shooting guard, hilariously extending his arm to its very limits, questioned back that if she had to go up there. Suni Lee is about 5 feet tall, while the average height of an NBA player in 2025 is nearly 6’7″. Thus, one of the rare occurrences in history where the gymnast fell short. McCain then asked her how she felt being at the draft and if this was her first time interviewing.

That is when the gymnast confessed in the video aired by the NBA itself, “Yeah, this is my first time like interviewing the players. Like being on the opposite side, so it was a lot of fun. Honestly, it’s very inspiring to see all of these guys to come out here just because I have been in their situation before and I know all the work that it took to get here. So I am really excited for all of them.” Mostly throughout her gymnastics career, Lee has been at the other end of the mic answering the questions, not asking them. And the struggle and hardship a sportsperson goes through, she knows it all!

Suni stepped away from NCAA gymnastics at Auburn University in April 2024 due to non-gymnastics health issues involving her kidneys. In an April 2025 interview, Lee though kept the gate for LA28 open, Suni Lee did shared she is “still in pain” and described emotional and physical toll. Also ever since, the gymnast has shifted to New York, she has found a new hobby in Fortnite and a love for a new sport.

After relocating to New York City following the 2024 Paris Olympics, Suni Lee began attending New York Knicks games at Madison Square Garden, often sitting courtside alongside other celebrities like WNBA star Angel Reese and Jordyn Woods. Her popularity has grown in these games to such an extent that she is considered a good luck charm as well by some.

Suni Lee, the Knicks’ good luck charm

Suni Lee has unexpectedly become the Knicks’ courtside good-luck charm, especially for star forward OG Anunoby. When Lee attended her first Knicks game on April 6, OG lit it up, dropping 32 points on 13/17 shooting. The Knicks marked a 128-112 triumph over the Phoenix Suns in that game. It was one of six games that saw Anunoby tally at least 30 points in his first full season as a New Yorker. It sparked a wave of memes crediting her presence with his hot streak.

“Keep attending. Had my boy OG doing s**t I’ve never seen him even attempt to do,” an X user wrote under snapshots Lee posted of herself at the game. Fans started calling it the “Suni effect.” Josh Hart humorously pleaded on the Roommates Show podcast for Lee and actress Anne Hathaway to attend every Knicks playoff game to support OG Anunoby. He said, “We need Suni or Anne Hathaway at every game during this playoff run.” But all of this turned out to be superstition…

Suni Lee attended Game 2 of the NBA playoffs on April 21, 2025, sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden. Despite her appearance, the Knicks lost 100–94 to the Detroit Pistons, and OG Anunoby was held to just 10 points, shooting 4‑for‑10 and missing all four 3-point attempts, also committing two turnovers. But it might not leave her very soon. During the Fanatics Fest, Lee was talking of the Knicks fandom, saying, “I really got sucked into the Knicks fandom this year.” This is when a fan interrupted and said “OG,” to which she chuckled. What are your thoughts on this?