New York Knicks Star Josh Hart Explains Love for Chelsea FC - 'London is Blue'

Ahead of the new NBA season, which is weeks away, New York Knicks players Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns joined Roger Bennett, Founder and CEO of Men in Blazers Media Network, in the Men in Blazers Live Show at Terminal 5, presented by MLS and Walmart, last night.

With less than two weeks until preseason and a couple of weeks left until the New York Knicks’ NBA opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Josh Hart reveals his passion for soccer and for Premier League side Chelsea.

During the Men in Blazers’ live show, Hart spoke about how he started following Chelsea thanks to two legends of the club, Frank Lampard and John Terry.

Josh Hart mentions that he supported the England national team during the 2010 World Cup instead of the USMNT.

With fans in attendance jokingly booing, Hart explained that his support for England led to the Chelsea duo of Lampard and Terry making him a Chelsea fan.

Josh Hart: “I’ve been like a die-hard, like really dedicated fan, and I’ve been supporting them since I was 16, 17. Before then, I think it was the 2010 World Cup, y’all know that U.S. Soccer is not the greatest, you know, it’s getting there, but it’s not the greatest… 15 years ago, I actually found myself supporting England. I was supporting England, and my two favorite players on that squad was Frank Lampard and John Terry. Obviously, they were proper Chels. I kind of went over there and started supporting them, and it just kind of took off. So you know, London is blue, and y’all know what it is.”

Hart has shown love for Chelsea for over 15 years and continues to support the team, mentioning being a fan of Cole Palmer and Reece James.

Roger Bennett mentioned the story of Josh Hart wearing a Chelsea jersey during his honeymoon with his wife, Shannon Hart, in 2021. Hart says that he owns multiple Chelsea jerseys in his closet, proving his passion for the English club.

Josh Hart: “I was cleaning out my closet from our house in Miami, and I just started seeing all of the Chelsea shirts that I had. It was Hazard, Willian, Mount, obviously the guys now, Palmer, those guys. I probably had like 25, 30 Chelsea shirts.”

Karl Anthony-Towns on Soccer Stars who enjoy the NBA

Karl-Anthony Towns praised soccer stars who have shown love to the NBA players and the sport of basketball. Players like Vinicius Jr., Jamal Musiala, and Kylian Mbappe have been seen attending NBA games in the U.S. and in other countries.

The New York Knicks star says that there is mutual respect among both soccer and basketball players. Towns says that the soccer players and the NBA players like themselves are proving to be among the best in the world.

Karl-Anthony Towns: “I think it’s mutual respect. To see them be great at their sport, and for them to come to our house, and to see us do what we do best. There’s such a mutual respect. They’re killing it in their craft on the pitch, and for us on the court, we’re trying to do our best to show New York and all NBA fans that we’re the best of the best. So I think there’s just a lot of mutual respect.”

Josh Hart #3 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks smile near the bench in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on December 30, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images

Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns on the 2026 World Cup

With the 2026 World Cup less than nine months away, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns express their excitement for the prestigious tournament being played in the U.S. and mention it could grow the sport’s popularity in the country.

Hart thinks that soccer will grow as younger fans will see the passion of the game, and it could motivate more young players to pursue becoming professional soccer players in the future, especially when representing the country.

Josh Hart: “I think it’s going to be an amazing experience for everyone here. But more importantly, the youth here that are playing soccer. Now they get to see these guys close, see the skills, see the passion, and that’s going to continue to drive football here. I think it’s something that’s going to take it to another level.”

Towns gives praise to the MLS and believes the league has done a great job in helping the sport grow in the U.S. ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Karl-Anthony Towns: “I think the work they’re [MLS] doing is amazing. I think the World Cup is more special and taken more seriously now because MLS has shown America what soccer really looks like and can feel like.”

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Sep 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the Soccer section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

New York Knicks Star Josh Hart Explains Love for Chelsea FC – ‘London is Blue’

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