'I was embarrassed': John Mellencamp didn't like Pat McAfee's celebrity Knicks fans callout

John Mellencamp wasn't a fan of Pat McAfee's actions during Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks on May 27.

"'Hoosier Hospitality. I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team — and in turn, support our team," Mellencamp wrote on X. "The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality."

pic.twitter.com/fscxusrh3D— John Mellencamp (@johnmellencamp) May 29, 2025

Mellencamp did not name McAfee, but he was likely referring to a point in Game 4 when McAfee was given a microphone to hype up the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

"We got some big wigs from the big city in the building!" he exclaimed. "Spike Lee is here! Ben Stiller is here! Timothee Chalamet is here!"

The crowd loudly booed with each name called.

McAfee capped it with: "Let's send these sons of (expletive) back to New York with their ears ringing!"

Mellencamp ended his post by saying it was "poor sportsmanship."

"One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship," Mellencamp said. "I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life. On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: John Mellencamp didn't like Pat McAfee's celebrity Knicks fans callout