As the Knicks and Spurs prepare for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, players from both teams have been asked about President Donald Trump’s plan to attend the matchup — and their responses have ranged from blunt to carefully measured.
Trump, 79, is set to be in the crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Monday June 8, backing the New York Knicks.
But while a sitting president attending can add extra attention to the night, it also brings intensified security procedures around the arena — something that hasn’t gone down well with everyone involved.
#Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox on security at MSG:
“I think the president being here just makes it inconvenient for everybody else. …We’re getting screened like it’s TSA. It’s a little inconvenient for the people that’s got to play, but it is what it is.”
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) June 8, 2026
Speaking to the San Antonio Express News, Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox didn’t hide his frustration with the extra measures in place just hours before tip-off.
“I think the president being here just makes it inconvenient for everybody else. …We’re getting screened like it’s TSA. It’s a little inconvenient for the people that’s got to play, but it is what it is.”
On the Knicks side, Karl-Anthony Towns took a more cautious approach when NBC New York asked him directly about Trump showing up for the Finals.
“Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball played here, at Madison Square Garden,” Towns said. “For it to be a long time to see Finals basketball, it’s up to us to bring it, give ’em something to get loud about, give them something to cheer for, and also give them something to believe in.”
Teammate OG Anunoby also offered his view, suggesting the moment won’t change how the Knicks handle the game.
“I think he’ll just be there watching the game,” Anunoby said. “We’re going to go as usual, just play our game, try to win the game.”
Trump, who has supported the Knicks for years, was invited by team owner James Dolan and confirmed his plans last week. “The answer is yes, he’s invited me, I’m going,” Trump said, adding that he might also attend Game 4.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also welcomed the news, telling reporters he was ‘thrilled’ Trump would be in attendance.
“We can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart. We’re seeing that in New York and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I’m thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knick team.”
Silver then pointed to Trump’s history of showing up around the league and the team in years past, saying: “I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days. He attended many of our drafts when they used to take place at Madison Square Garden.”
“I think the fans are very understanding of that. I think they recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event,” the commissioner added, as per The Guardian.
If Trump attends as expected, it will mark a first for the league: the first time a sitting president has been present at an NBA Finals game.