Key Takeaways
- Malika Andrews dressed as Spike Lee for ESPN’s NBA Today Halloween special, recreating the Knicks superfan’s courtside look with a hat, suit, basketball and fake stubble.
- Chiney Ogwumike joined as Elphaba, Kendrick Perkins as the Cowardly Lion and Richard Jefferson as The Mask, while Shaquille O’Neal joined Andrews and Ogwumike for a Halloween-candy edition of “Start, Bench, Cut.”
- Yahoo Sports called the resemblance “uncanny,” and Andrews’ costume nodded to a familiar subject: she contributed to ESPN’s 2020 coverage of Lee’s Madison Square Garden entrance dispute.
Malika Andrews paid tribute to one of the New York Knicks’ biggest fans by transforming into legendary filmmaker Spike Lee for ESPN’s NBA Today Halloween special.
The Emmy-winning host went all out for the show’s annual celebration, sporting a hat, suit, and basketball to recreate Lee’s recognizable courtside appearance. She even added some facial hair to make the costume more convincing.
Andrews shared a clip of her transformation on TikTok, writing, “Happy Halloween from #SpikeLee !!”
The ESPN personality wasn’t the only one embracing the Halloween festivities. Her NBA Today colleagues also showed up for the occasion, with Chiney Ogwumike portraying Elphaba from Wicked, Kendrick Perkins dressing as the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz, and Richard Jefferson transforming into the title character from The Mask.
Andrews and Ogwumike were joined by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal as they debated their favorite Halloween candies, including Sour Patch Kids and other popular treats.
However, Andrews’ Spike Lee impersonation became a highlight when the conversation turned to the details of everyone’s costumes.
The ESPN host proudly pointed out the fake “stubble” on her face, showing just how far she went to capture the filmmaker’s appearance.
Her look also generated attention on social media, with Yahoo Sports sharing a photo of Andrews dressed as Lee on Friday (Oct. 30).
“The resemblance is uncanny,” the outlet wrote alongside the image.
Andrews’ costume was a fitting choice given Lee’s decades-long connection to the Knicks and his status as one of the NBA’s most recognizable celebrity supporters.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker has been a regular presence at Madison Square Garden for years, often sitting courtside and passionately cheering on his hometown team.
In 2020, Lee made headlines after a disagreement with Madison Square Garden officials over which entrance he could use to access the arena.
At the time, ESPN reported that the director had been a Knicks season-ticket holder for 28 years.
