Stephen A. Smith called a foul on Donald Trump’s plan to attend the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals game on Monday night.
The Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off for Game 3 of the NBA Finals and the president has decided to attend. Many griped at the fact Trump’s arrival would make any regular person attending the game experience a number of extra nightmares getting to Madison Square Garden. Smith was one.
“This president has no business showing up in New York City. I am dead serious,” Smith said. “It is selfish, it is narcissistic, it is ridiculous that he is coming to this game.”
“This president has no business showing up in New York City…it is ridiculous that he is coming to this game” – Stephen A. Smith takes issue with Donald Trump attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals at MSG pic.twitter.com/EDa2IWdW2g
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 8, 2026
He added: “This is the Garden, this is Midtown Manhattan. Do you have any idea what the congestion is going to be like?”
While there are unsurprisingly some that are unhappy with Trump’s choice to show up at MSG for Game 3, many others are just completely locked in on the game itself and the president’s attendance is a lesser concern.
“The more the merrier. We’re going to find ways to be crazy, right?” fan Kyu Kim told MS NOW Monday. “We’re going to be the Sixth Man, right? We’re going to make sure this doesn’t get back to San Antonio. So with Trump or not, doesn’t matter.”
Some are pre-annoyed at the thought of waiting hours in security lines to make it into the stadium. That same MS NOW segment on “Katy Tur Reports” found others who are ready for the wait if it means supporting the team.
“Just worry about the Knicks. Don’t worry about Trump and waiting in line for three hours,” Roger Verno said. “I’ve waited in line for three hours for many, many things. It’s worth it. The Knicks are worth it.”
Even New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani was not as quick as others in the local and state government to decry Trump’s attendance for the game. He ducked the question a bit when asked and kept the focus more on the game and series itself.
“I think one of the things that I’ve learned is don’t give advice to other Knicks fans. they will make their own decisions,” Mamdani said. “I haven’t given anybody advice on how to respond to me.”
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