Donald Trump turned the 2026 NBA Finals into a chaotic mess by deciding to attend Game 3 between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. Fans were told to arrive two hours early and waited in airport-style lines just to get into Madison Square Garden. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox told reporters “The president being here just makes it inconvenient on everybody else.”
Donald Trump booed heavily during NBA Finals national anthem at MSG
New Yorkers showed Trump how they feel about him.
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
New Yorkers showed Trump how they feel about him when he shown on the jumbotron during the national anthem.
The result? Loud boos. Watch some videos from inside the arena here:
Trump’s approval rating is near a record low right now, so the boos aren’t surprising. Trump is the first sitting United States President to ever attend an NBA Finals game.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver defended Trump’s appearance to the “Inside the NBA” crew before the game:
The Knicks are up 2-0 in the series entering Game 3. Will Trump’s appearance curse the vibes? We know some Knicks players don’t like him. Here’s a 2020 tweet from Knicks wing Josh Hart:
The Knicks have won 13-straight games entering Game 3. If they lose, you already know who to blame.
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