OG Anunoby: Champion, Icon, Anne Hathaway Enthusiast
Indiana's OG Anunoby stepped into the 2026-27 NBA season already wearing a ring — and making sure everyone knew it. The Knicks' Opening Night on October 20 against the 76ers doubled as New York's long-awaited championship banner ceremony at Madison Square Garden, ending a 53-year drought for a city that had been waiting since 1973. Anunoby, whose tip-in during the NBA Finals helped seal the title, was at the center of the celebration before the ball even tipped off.
The week around him wasn't short on personality, either. Carmelo Anthony — a Knicks icon who never got a banner of his own — went on record making what ClutchPoints described as a "GOAT admission" about Anunoby's Finals tip-in. Anunoby also filmed a lie detector test promo with actor and Knicks superfan Ben Stiller for the Focker-in-Law movie, where he made time — naturally — to bring up his own celebrity admirer, Anne Hathaway. He'd already posted a photo of Hathaway wearing his gifted jersey on The Tonight Show, because why not lean into the bit heading into the new season?
On the court, Anunoby's week was a mixed bag. In the Opening Night loss to Philadelphia (100-106), he finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, a steal, and a block in 31 minutes, though a -20 plus-minus reflected the team's rough night. He bounced back emphatically on Friday against the Celtics, pouring in 20 points to go with 10 rebounds and 8 assists in 33 minutes — a near triple-double that would have looked better if New York had held on (the Knicks lost 103-107, dropping their plus-minus on Anunoby to -11 for the night). The effort was there. The wins haven't followed yet.
Kel'el Ware: The Sophomore Making a Statement
While Anunoby commanded headlines, Indiana's other notable alumnus in the league quietly turned heads in Milwaukee. Kel'el Ware, in just his second NBA season, logged a double-double against the 76ers on Saturday — 19 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a steal in 29 minutes as the Bucks fell 116-127. The plus-4 in a losing effort suggested Ware was one of the few Bucks holding their own.
His week as a whole showed a player still finding his footing. In a loss to the Wizards on Wednesday (Bucks 116-128), Ware posted 7 points and 3 rebounds in 13 minutes with a -10 plus-minus. He got 15 minutes against the Bulls on Friday, contributing 11 points and 4 boards in a 125-132 loss — and his plus-minus of +10 that night told a different story than the final score. Milwaukee is 0-3 to open the year, but Ware's Saturday performance is the kind of line that earns more playing time.
The Rest of the Hoosier Diaspora
Trayce Jackson-Davis appeared for the Raptors in two games this week — a blowout win over the Bulls on Wednesday and a road trip to face the Wizards on Friday — logging 9 and a minimal number of minutes in the respective outings. Thomas Bryant suited up for Cleveland against the Nets and the 76ers, though no counting stats were recorded in either appearance.
Indiana's NBA footprint is real, even if the results are still coming into focus. Anunoby is a champion. Ware is emerging. The Hoosiers have never had more to watch on league nights.
AI-generated summary
