It is a name that makes every New York Knicks fan smile — Steve “Novakaine” Novak.
Despite never playing more than 20 minutes a game, the sharpshooter and Marquette product was a fan favorite for his two seasons with the Knicks from 2011 to 2013. He was traded that year to the Toronto Raptors to land former first overall pick Andrea Bargnani.
Whether it was his signature celebration, the great teams that he played on, or a collection of his absurd shooting statistics, Novak was one of the more beloved Knicks players of the 21st century.
And now for some summer nostalgia, it’s time to look back at Novak’s best moments and favorite attributes.
4 reasons why New York Knicks fans loved Steve Novak
4: Novak’s signature championship belt celebration
There aren’t many signature celebrations in the NBA, but my god did Steve Novak have one of the best.
Call it whatever you like, simply “the belt celebration,” or “the championship belt celebration,” or the “discount double-check celebration,” made famous by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The connection to Green Bay and Wisconsin is actually the origin of why Novak began doing the celebration.
As mentioned earlier, Novak went to Marquette, which is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Showing a little Wisconsin love,” he told reporters after a game in 2012 when he was asked about the celebration.
Believe it or not, there was also momentary drama around Novak’s belt move.
In 2013, Nate Robinson broke out the celebration against Novak and the Knicks when he was playing for the Chicago Bulls. After the game, Novak chose full-blown sarcasm and took a shot at Robinson’s famously short height.
"“It warms my heart,” Novak said of Robinson doing his celebration. “It really does. The best part about doing the belt is hearing the stories about all the little kids who hit a three-pointer and do the belt. One day, when Little Nathan grows up, his dreams come true and he can be just like me.”"
Outside of that back and forth, the celebration was almost always an extremely positive thing.
The three-point specialist seemed to perfectly time the celebration every time, never overdoing it and always sending the crowd into a frenzy.
The belt celebration is around the 1:30 mark in the video below.
9 years ago today, Steve Novak dropped 14 points in the fourth quarter and unleashed the belt celebration en route to a Knicks W 💦pic.twitter.com/L1nuqNlVsm
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 19, 2021