President Donald Trump may be attending the NBA finals at Madison Square Garden in New York next week.
The POTUS will be cheering for the Knicks, of which he is a long-time fan. He also shares a personal relationship with Knicks owner James Dolan, who is believed to have donated large amounts to the president’s campaign, and got married at Mar-a-Lago.
Knicks owner James Dolan was a heavy financial supporter of Donald Trump…
Knicks owner James Dolan was one of Donald Trump’s highest financial backers in both the 2020 and 2024 election campaigns and even got married at Mar-a-Lago himself.
The New York Times reports that the president had earlier wanted to attend Game 5 on Wednesday if the Cleveland Cavaliers had claimed a victory on Monday—a plan that failed because the Cavaliers lost by 130-93.
The New York Knicks have reached to the finals for the first time since 1999.
A big fan of the team’s owner, James Dolan, Trump’s visit to the deep-blue Manhattan may result in resounding boos. The last time the president came to the stadium was in October 2024. He held a rally at the venue, which critics compared to a Nazi gathering. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe also attracted deep scrutiny over a joke on Puerto Rico.
However, the Knicks haven’t won a championship in 53 years, prompting the president to make the politically dangerous visit.
The president has been active in the sports community, attending several UFC fights, football games, and golf events. In fact, he is set to organize a UFC fight on the White House lawn later this month.
The Knicks are precocious for inviting A-listers like Kylie Jenner, Timothee Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan, and Spike Lee, who have graced their games previously.
While the president’s attendance in a rigidly anti-Trump state may backfire, his visit may also garner a lot of media attention.
WHO ARE YOU ROOTING FOR IN THE GAME?
Originally reported by Sreemanti Sengupta for Mandatory
