Shannon Hart, the wife of New York Knicks guard Josh Hart, has developed an unusual coping mechanism for one of the most stressful moments of any basketball game. Ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on Saturday, June 13, against the San Antonio Spurs, she opened up about the habit that has become part of her game day routine.
The ritual began at Villanova
Shannon’s superstition traces back to her husband’s college days at Villanova. At the time, she would do small hand gestures, often called spirit fingers, whenever Josh stepped to the free throw line. The habit appeared harmless until his shooting percentage took a noticeable dip during those moments. Convinced the gesture was bad luck, she eventually abandoned it altogether.
A new approach was born by accident
The shift came almost by chance. During one particularly tense moment, Shannon decided she could not bear to watch another miss and turned away just before the ball left her husband’s hands. To her surprise, he made the shot. From that point on, looking away became her go-to strategy whenever Josh is at the line.
Now, she avoids watching entirely until the ball has already left his fingertips. Instead of seeing the result for herself, she relies on the reaction of the crowd to determine whether the shot went in, a method she says has become second nature during high pressure games.
View this post on Instagram
A partnership tied to the Knicks colors
Shannon spoke the day before Game 5 as part of a collaboration with Reese’s, which recently rolled out a special blue and orange packaging in partnership with Oreo. The color combination felt fitting for Shannon, given how often she and other Knicks supporters have leaned into the team’s orange and blue palette throughout the postseason.
She wore a custom Reese’s jacket to Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, where she sat alongside Ali Brunson, the wife of Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Shannon described the partnership as a natural fit, noting how closely it aligned with the outfits she and other Knicks wives have worn throughout the playoffs.
Jewelry and accessories play a role too
Beyond looking away during free throws, Shannon has built out a broader set of game-day rituals involving jewelry and accessories. She wears a cross necklace that she does not remove, along with a piece bearing her husband’s name, both of which have become staples of her Finals wardrobe.
For Game 5 in San Antonio, she also plans to bring along a blue Yves Saint Laurent purse that accompanied her during Game 4, when the Knicks pulled off a dramatic comeback victory. Given the outcome of that game, Shannon said she felt compelled to bring the same bag again, hoping it carries the same energy into the road environment.
The Knicks aim to close out the series
Shannon and Josh have been married for nearly five years and share twin sons, Hendrix and Haze. As the Knicks travel to San Antonio for Game 5 of the best of seven series, they are looking to secure the franchise’s first championship in decades.
Shannon is not the only Knicks wife or girlfriend with a personal ritual this postseason. Jordyn Woods, who is engaged to Knicks star Karl Anthony Towns, has previously spoken about her own lucky bag that she brings to games. Across the Knicks extended support system, small superstitions like these have become part of the rhythm of a long playoff run, offering a sense of control during moments that are otherwise entirely out of anyone’s hands.
For Shannon, the formula is simple. Avoid watching the free throws, listen for the crowd and trust that the right accessories, paired with the right colors, might just help carry the Knicks one step closer to a title.
