President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday that he’s been extended an invitation to witness the New York Knicks compete in the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden next month.
Speaking to reporters, Trump shared that Knicks owner James Dolan has offered him tickets to watch the Eastern Conference champions face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs when the series comes to New York.
The Knicks are set to host the third and fourth games of the finals on June 8 and June 10, respectively. New York has been on a remarkable postseason run, winning 11 consecutive playoff games after completing a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
The president, who hails from New York, had originally considered attending the fifth game of the conference finals at Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks wrapped up the series before that became necessary. Trump praised Dolan as a “great guy” and expressed admiration for the team’s performance.
“Boy, what a team,” Trump remarked. “They have some really great players.”
The president described the franchise’s first finals appearance since 1999 as “great to see.”
“The Knicks have really suffered for years,” Trump commented, drawing laughter from reporters. “They’re doing (well) right now.”
Throughout his political career, Trump has frequently attended major sporting events, including the College Football Playoff championship and a primetime NFL matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets just before the 2024 election.
Madison Square Garden has long been known for attracting celebrity fans to courtside seats, including filmmaker Spike Lee, who has previously had public disagreements with Trump.
