Suni Lee has been a frequent supporter of the New York Knicks, but is setting the record straight on whether it’s love for the game or a player.

As Lee was supporting the Knicks during their playoff run, — their first since 2000 — eagle-eyed fans noticed that the six-time Olympic gold medalist was chatting with OG Anunoby on the sidelines. The interaction had fans interested in whether their relationship was purely platonic or romantic.

“Honestly, it just started off as a joke, and I feel like social media kind of just, like, took it further than that,” Lee told Mirror U.S. Sports. “But yeah, we’re just friends, and I’m really good friends with a bunch of the guys on the Knicks team, like [Karl-Anthony Towns], and then also I’m really close to [Towns’ partner Jordyn Woods] as well, so it’s cool to see them doing their thing. Honestly, I just enjoy watching basketball, which is why I went to most of the games.”

Lee clarified the nature of her and Anunoby’s relationship again: “There’s nothing there. We’re just friends. I fully support all of them, and I support the Knicks.”

The Minnesota native shared how she met influencer Jordyn Woods and Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns. The NBA star and Woods have been dating for five years.

“I met Jordyn and KAT when I was in Minnesota, and when they were in Minnesota as well,” Lee said. “And then when I moved to New York, he got traded, so it was really nice to see some familiar faces in New York and just keep that friendship.”

Anunoby is not the only NBA star Lee has been linked to despite having no confirmation. Last year, rumors have spread that she was in a relationship with Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant, which were never confirmed. Last year, when Lee was competing in the Olympics, a rumor spread that she and Devin Booker were in a relationship when a photo went viral of her and the Phoenix Suns star.

Durant is seemingly single and Booker started romance rumors with Molly Murphy after the two were spotted at Stagecoach back in April. They have not confirmed their romance.

As for Lee, she is dating Jaylin Smith, a University of Southern California cornerback. The couple went Instagram official in 2021 but have kept their relationship private since then.

Olympic gymnast Suni Lee took to the 2025 ESPY Awards red carpet with a gold sequin dress and an unexpected date.

The gymnastics star invited her physician, Dr. Marcia Faustin, to accompany her at the event on Wednesday, July 16. Faustin has been treating Lee’s incurable kidney condition, according to People.

Speaking to ESPN’s SportsCenter co-hosts, Lee, 22, said, “I’m so excited, it’s her first time on a red carpet. So it’s really fun for the both of us. But she was the one person who actually believed in me whenever I was going through everything.”

Lee would go on to win the award for Best Comeback Athlete that same night. During her acceptance speech, she made sure to acknowledge Faustin.

“To Dr. Marcia Faustin, she’s actually here in the crowd with me today,” Lee said, prompting cheers from the audience. “Thank you for guiding me through the toughest moments, reading every scan and report by my side.”

Faustin is a specialist in family and sports medicine and teaches as an assistant clinical professor at UC Davis. She also holds roles as co-head team physician for both UC Davis Division I athletics and the USA Gymnastics women’s national team.

Lee was forced to end her career as a college gymnast at Auburn University when she received her kidney disease diagnosis in 2023. She made a return to the sports world at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she added three more medals to her name despite her health challenges.

The award-winning athlete recently spoke to Sephora in an interview, unsure if her career would take her to the Olympic Games in 2028.

“I already did two, I feel like I don’t need to do another one…but I do feel like I have more to prove to myself,” she said.

Suni Lee Had Funny Two-Word Response to Knicks Fan Who Shouted ‘OG’ at Her

Lee brought the best energy to Fanatics Fest over the weekend.

When U.S. gymnast Suni Lee took the stage at Fanatics Fest in New York City over the weekend, New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby was there cheering her on—in spirit, anyway.

Lee was joined by New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson, Giants wideout Malik Nabers, sportscaster Noah Eagle and a few others on a panel during NYC’s annual Fanatics Fest, and one of the natural topics of conversation was Lee’s now-well-known fandom for the Knicks.

Lee started to discuss how she got “sucked into” cheering for the Knicks this year when a fan in the audience hilariously shouted,” OG!”

There was a slight pause as Lee and the crowd laughed at the fan’s endearing tease.

“Outta pocket,” Lee said.

As is already cemented in recent Knicks lore, Lee had an unexplained effect on Anunoby when she attended her first-ever Knicks game at Madison Square Garden last April. Lee was seen sitting courtside as Anunoby put up 32 points to help lift the Knicks to a 112-98 win over the Phoenix Suns.

From there on out, fans created endless memes and video content linking Lee and Anunoby, suggesting that the two-time Olympic gold medalist was Anunoby’s lucky charm at home games.

The Knicks’ luck eventually ran out in the NBA playoffs when they fell to the Indiana Pacers in a six-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals, but no one would soon forget Lee and Anunoby’s charming on-court magnetism.

Olympic star Suni Lee has been busy with her career off the gymnastics mat ever since the 2024 Olympics ended.

Lee, who won one gold and two bronze medals in the Paris games, has been actively pursuing new opportunities, particularly in the fashion world. The 22-year-old attended the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October 2024, as well as the CFDA Fashion Awards in the same month.

More recently, when Lee attended the 2025 Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, she turned a lot of heads with her outfit for the event. She wore a black flared denim jeans paired with a black top underneath her Team USA jacket, which was from the 2024 Olympic Closing Ceremony. Now, she has taken one more step in the fashion game.

On Wednesday, Lee revealed that she got a new tattoo.  On her Instagram Stories, Lee showed a tattoo on her right forearm. The tattoo is a simple text that reads, “nothing more nothing less.” As Lee shared the post, she captioned it, “Little cutie.”

In Lee’s previous photos, the tattoo was not seen. The redness surrounding her tattoo also suggests that she just got it. However, this is not the first time Lee has shown off her love for tattoos.

Previously, she had gotten the Olympic rings inked on her left forearm. That was the aftermath of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where Lee had won three medals: a gold in the individual all-around, a silver with Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum during the team final, and a bronze in the uneven bars.

“Did a thingggg,” she had written in her Instagram story along with the picture of the tattoo on that occasion.

While Lee has yet to reveal the inspiration behind her new tattoo and why she chose those words, it’s clear that she’s happy with her latest move.

“Felt Ashamed”: Suni Lee’s Heartbreaking Confession Unearthed Amidst Gymnastics Community’s Concerns

When Suni Lee’s radiant image lit up the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition on Tuesday, May 13, it wasn’t just a celebration of beauty — it was a quiet, powerful reclaiming of strength. As fans scrolled through her photos, many were quick to notice more than just the camera-ready smile or the poised confidence. One comment stood out. “I like the pictures, to me it looks like she’s made peace with her condition. It’s hard having your health robbed from you, I imagine being an athlete only makes it worse.” This wasn’t a comment about mental health, though Suni has endured her share of battles there too. This was something different — something physical, and deeply personal. Then?

It was about the years when Suni Lee, an Olympic champion who soared in sparkling leotards under the global spotlight, felt trapped inside her own skin. Long before she was on glossy magazine covers or winning over America’s heart in Tokyo, Suni faced an invisible struggle. In the final push toward making Team USA, when her dream was just within reach, eczema came crashing down like an uninvited guest. Her arms, legs, even behind her neck — swollen, inflamed, painfully visible. The condition was not just itchy or uncomfortable. It was confidence-crushing.

For most, eczema is private. For a gymnast wearing formfitting leotards, performing on a world stage with cameras zoomed in from every angle, it was impossible to hide. “It was something that I felt ashamed of,” Suni admitted in an emotional interview with PopSugar last year. “Being in a leotard and competing for Team USA. Our skin is very exposed, cameras are always on us, people are always taking pictures, and it’s hard when you’re kind of ashamed to be looking at your own body or your skin because you can see that it’s rough or flaky.” Those words resurfaced again on May 17, when Inside Gymnastics Magazine posted Suni’s latest cover. The caption didn’t have to say much — the image spoke volumes. She wasn’t hiding anymore. There she stood, not just posing, but owning the very body that once made her feel small. But here the question is, how did she overcome the issue? Before going into that discussion, let’s get some details on the disease.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is more than just dry, itchy skin — it’s a chronic condition that can crack, ooze, and flare without warning. Around 7% of U.S. adults live with it, and nearly half experience moderate to severe symptoms. For teens, the numbers are even higher. But for elite athletes like Suni Lee, the battle is uniquely personal.

At just 22, Suni has faced the highs of Olympic gold — and the lows of painful, stress-triggered flare-ups. In that candid interview with PopSugar, she revealed, “I get the worst stress eczema flare-ups. At the 2021 Olympics, I was having a flare-up on my neck that I thankfully got handled right before the competition. But it happens a lot when I’m stressed and I can’t sleep. I get really bad flare-ups. So then I’m constantly itching and uncomfortable.” Still, Suni never let it stop her. Now, gracing the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover, she doesn’t need words to show how far she’s come. The photos say it all.

Suni Lee shines up in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit photo shoot 

When Sports Illustrated Swimsuit tapped National Geographic explorer and renowned photographer Ben Horton to capture Suni Lee, they knew they were creating something special. The shoot took place at the stunning Boca Raton, where Horton’s lens met Suni’s strength and grace — and the results were nothing short of breathtaking. Though Suni Lee’s cover officially dropped on May 13, SI Swimsuit began teasing the images as early as November on Instagram — and the reaction was electric. From fans to fellow stars, the praise poured in.

Olympic tennis sensation Coco Gauff, LSU gymnast and SI favorite Olivia Dunne, and even glam icon Kamie Crawford all showed their love for Suni, celebrating not just her beauty, but the quiet power in every shot. This wasn’t just a photo spread — it was a moment. One where an athlete known for flipping through the air landed firmly in her own spotlight.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic all-around gold medallist Suni Lee is not among the U.S. gymnasts headed to next month’s Baku World Cup (7-10 March), USA Gymnastics announced Tuesday (27 February).

Instead, it will be Reese Esponda and Katelyn Jong competing in Azerbaijan.

Lee told Olympics.com earlier in February that she hoped to earn a spot at the competition at last Saturday’s (24 February) Winter Cup competition in Louisville, Texas, so she could submit an original element on the uneven bars to the sport’s Code of Points.

“I’m just excited because I think it’ll be pretty cool having the skill being named,” said Lee in an exclusive interview ahead of the competition.

Coach Jess Graba added, “The whole reason we’re doing Winter Cup is so that we can go to Baku and get the skill named because Suni really wants to get that out of the way. Get it out of the way, so it’s not a question mark going into the spring.”

That quest will have to wait.

Lee, 20, looked spectacular during official training in Louisville, but faltered in the competition, falling twice off the uneven bars including once attempting her new element – the full-twisting, laidout Jaeger release move – and once on the balance beam.

“I wish I could redeem myself so bad, so bad!” Lee told reporters after competition. “Literally, I hit it every single time [in practice], so I’m just so frustrated. But it’s okay.”

Winter Cup was the selection event for the Baku World Cup.

Lee’s next chance at getting the skill named in international competition would be April’s Pacific Rim Championships.

• Suni Lee eyeing Baku World Cup, place in gymnastics’ Code of Points
• Exclusive – Suni Lee reflects on difficult year: “It taught me that I’m a lot stronger than I think I am”

Team USA gymnast Suni Lee has broken her silence about controversial comments made by former teammate MyKayla Skinner. 

Lee, 21, addressed a dig made by Skinner, 27, in June, when she said in a since-deleted YouTube video, “Besides Simone [Biles], I feel like the talent and the depth just isn’t what it used to be. I mean, obviously, a lot of girls don’t work as hard. The girls just don’t have the work ethic.”

Skinner and Lee were teammates on the 2020 Olympic team that took home all-around silver in Tokyo. 

“We have a lot of love for her, but it’s frustrating to see her put us down because she knows, basically, about every single thing that we’ve all been through,” Lee told Glamour in a story published Thursday, October 3. “It was more annoying because of all the things that I’ve been through.”

In the year leading up to the 2024 Games, Lee was diagnosed with two types of kidney disease. 

“I wasn’t able to go to the bathroom,” she recalled to Glamour. “I couldn’t bend my legs because they were so swollen, and my fingers too. My eyes were almost swollen shut. I was like, ‘Something is happening.’”

After months of frustration, Lee called USA Gymnastics cohead physician Marcia Faustin who ultimately helped get her tested and diagnosed. 

“It just goes to show the importance of speaking up and advocating for yourself, because if I wouldn’t have, who knows what I would have been doing right now,” Lee said. 

Once Skinner’s comments about the 2024 squad caught fire, they became a bit of a rallying cry for the group, who took home all-around gold in Paris. 

“Lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions ❤️🥇🇺🇸,” Biles, 27, captioned a photo via Instagram after taking home gold alongside teammates Lee, Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera and Jordan Chiles.

Every Medal Team USA Won at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Skinner — who later said her comment was “misinterpreted” and “wasn’t always necessarily about the current team” — returned to social media after Biles’ thinly-veiled jab after winning gold.

“I sincerely hoped that this topic wouldn’t need to be revisited but unfortunately things have really gotten out of hand lately,” Skinner said in a video posted via Instagram August 6. “And it’s one thing to disagree with me regarding something I have said or a point I was trying to make, but it’s something else entirely when that turns into cyber bullying or even worse.”

Skinner continued, “Watching people cheer on the bullying — which has led to threats of physical harm to me, my husband and our daughter — is disgusting. So please at this point, I’m just asking for it to stop for the sake of my family because enough is enough.”