Mike Greenberg’s handshake with Julius Randle couldn’t have been more awkward

1 year ago 236

ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” delivered a cringeworthy infinitesimal betwixt big Mike Greenberg and Knicks prima Julius Randle.

At the extremity of the pregame amusement Wednesday astatine Madison Square Garden — wherever the Knicks bushed the Celtics successful treble overtime — Randle ran implicit to the new “Countdown” crew and had an awkward handshake with Greenberg.

The “Get Up” big appeared to thin successful for a hug, but received a pat connected the tummy and a flimsy hand-slap from Randle.

Meanwhile, Randle offered handshakes to Greenberg’s co-hosts: analysts Jalen Rose, Michael Wilbon and Stephen A. Smith.

The infinitesimal appeared to fluster Greenberg arsenic helium thought they had gone to commercialized break, not realizing the broadcast was inactive unrecorded until Smith told him.

The caller “NBA Countdown” unit made their amusement debut Wednesday. Greenberg replaced erstwhile big Maria Taylor, who near ESPN for NBC successful August aft being progressive successful a ungraded with Rachel Nichols.

Nichols was recorded successful her edifice room during the 2020 NBA bubble successful Orlando, saying she believed Taylor took implicit Nichols’ NBA Finals hosting duties that twelvemonth due to the fact that of ESPN’s “crappy longtime grounds connected diversity.” Nichols’ regular ESPN show, “The Jump,” was aboriginal cancelled by the network.

Knicks Julius Randle, ESPN Mike Greenberg

Meanwhile, fans had a tract time connected Twitter with Greenberg and Randle’s on-court greeting.

One instrumentality tweeted, “Mike Greenberg wanted a hug past a handshake and had to settee for getting slapped successful the tummy by Julius Randle and it was truthful awkward that it perfectly halted the full broadcast for 45 seconds portion mike processed however severely that greeting went.”