Over the past two decades, the New York Knicks have pursued landing a superstar with glitzy pitches, celebrity cameos, and full-on cultural appeals. This week, a unique attempt surfaced again in New York: a long-lost Wu-Tang Clan recruitment track aimed at bringing Kevin Durant to Madison Square Garden.
Investigative journalist Pablo Torre discovered the 2019 video while researching old Knicks free-agent lore on his show, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.” In the clip, Method Man wears a No. 35 Knicks jersey, which the team handed out as part of a marketing campaign to persuade Durant to join the franchise. At the time, the superstar had just returned from two titles with the Golden State Warriors and prepared for his next basketball chapter.
A Hip-Hop Pitch For Kevin Durant Buried in Digital Dust
Wu-Tang never made their musical request public in any official capacity. Torre said his team found it hidden on a Wu-Tang message board niche, where someone believed to be a cinematographer uploaded it years ago. Method Man did not recall the song, but he remembered the mission: to acquire a rare Wu-Tang jersey.
“I don’t remember the track but I remember we shot a visual for it,” he said on Torre’s show. “We really wanted KD to come, and I knew KD wanted to come to New York, he just wasn’t clear on where he wanted to go.”
The track mentions Durant’s 41-point game at Madison Square Garden in 2018 and hints that he might join Knicks prospects Kevin Knox and Dennis Smith Jr.
City scenes and excited fans appear throughout, making the video feel like a snapshot of the time when Knicks fans were sure Durant would sign with them. Even with all the excitement and support, Durant never actually met with the Knicks.
The Knicks paid Wu-Tang Clan to woo Kevin Durant in 2019 free agency with an original song.
We unearthed the music video, with a little help from @MethodMan himself. It goes kinda crazy. pic.twitter.com/LlgNQqgKlH
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) December 11, 2025
When Durant chose the Brooklyn Nets, the league was shocked, and Knicks fans questioned another missed opportunity. The Nets’ big move soon unravelled. Durant missed his first season due to an Achilles injury, and the superteam with Kyrie Irving and James Harden never truly came together, mainly due to injuries, absences, and player departures.
Eventually, all three stars left the team. The Knicks stayed steady even without landing a superstar. They found unexpected success as Julius Randle stepped up, Tom Thibodeau changed the team’s culture, and Jalen Brunson joined the roster.
A Pattern of Star Chasing
The Knicks have tried other creative ways to land a star player. For example, in 2010, Torre found another recruitment video. This time, featuring Edie Falco and James Gandolfini from The Sopranos, asking LeBron James to come to New York.
MORE: Kevin Durant Makes Feelings Clear on Chris Paul’s NBA Future After Clippers’ Decision To Cut Ties
The video also included big names like Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier, Spike Lee, Mark Messier, Willis Reed, Chris Rock, and Donald Trump. But, just as with the Wu-Tang track, this attempt didn’t work. Despite their efforts, the Knicks’ results have never lived up to their ambition.
Durant spoke directly about the Knicks trying to sign Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning and explained why the team chose not to.
“It’s hard to get the best players to play [for the Knicks]. It’s hard,” he said. “A lot of fans look at the Knicks as a brand and expect younger players to see it the same way… but the kids coming up didn’t see the Knicks being good.”
Durant said he considered joining the Knicks, but nothing came of it.
“I didn’t do any deep full analysis,” he said. “I heard it every day… media in the Bay Area were talkin’ about it every day. Tough to dodge.”
Even though New York’s most famous rap group is a big part of the city’s culture, that wasn’t enough to make a difference. Wu-Tang focused on the youth, but KD just wasn’t the right fit for the Knicks.
