Donald Trump is reportedly considering a trip to watch the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals next week.
The President, a native New Yorker, was interested in attending Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden, only for the Knicks to seal a 4-0 rout on Monday night.
Trump’s hometown Knicks secured their spot in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 as they continued to blitz their way through the playoffs.
According to The New York Times, Trump is now weighing up whether or not to go and watch the Knicks take on either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals.
Trump recently revealed that he is still a Knicks fan and has been following the likes of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns dominating the playoffs.
‘I really like Jim Dolan (owner of the Knicks, New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden) a lot, I’m really happy for him and the team,’ Trump told WABC-AM, known as TalkRadio 77. ‘I think it’s great.’
Donald Trump is reportedly considering a trip to watch the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals
Trump’s hometown Knicks secured their spot in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999
A spokesman for Madison Square Garden told The New York Times he was unaware if Trump was attending the NBA Finals but ‘that the president – no matter who holds the office – is always welcome at the venue’.
Trump has made a habit of making appearances at high-profile sporting events during his presidency.
He has been seen at the Super Bowl, Daytona 500, the college football national championship, the Ryder Cup, a New York Yankees Game and the US Open tennis men’s final.
Trump has also been to a number of UFC events, owing to his close relationship with MMA supremo Dana White, and is currently preparing for UFC Freedom 250 to take place on the White House’s south lawn on June 14.
Despite that, it remains to be seen what sort of reception Trump would get among basketball fans. Knicks games are often lined with A-list celebrities, including Ben Stiller and Timothee Chalamet.
The Golden State Warriors skipped visiting Trump’s White House after their championship win in 2017. Trump accused star player Steph Curry of ‘hesitating’ before withdrawing his invite.
Steve Kerr’s Warriors didn’t visit the White House when they won the title again in 2018 but did go when Joe Biden was in office.
The Knicks will play either the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals
Knicks games are lined with A-list celebrities, including Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner
Over the years Trump has also taken shots at LeBron James after the Los Angeles Lakers star said the president was ‘using sports to kinda divide us’ in 2018.
Trump also sided with Michael Jordan in the ongoing debate between who is better between the two NBA icons.
Trump responded: ‘Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!’
If the Spurs get to the finals then it could be awkward as well, given their French star Victor Wembanyama said earlier this year he was ‘concerned’ for his safety in America amid ICE raids and deportations.
