Trump becomes first sitting president to attend NBA
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend the championship series.
- The San Antonio Spurs won Game 3 over the New York Knicks 115-111, with Trump staying in his suite through the final buzzer.
- Trump was booed when shown briefly on the jumbotron during the national anthem, but told reporters afterward the crowd was "mostly cheers" and "very enthusiastic."
- Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox called Trump's presence "inconvenient on everybody else," noting his team planned to arrive earlier than usual to clear added security.
- NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Trump a "genuine Knicks fan" who was "welcome" and argued sports can build community "when there's so much that divides people."
- Security measures included protective glass around Trump's lower-bowl suite, magnetometers at entry, multiple checkpoints, and Secret Service positioned at every corner outside the arena.
- Notable attendees included NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Derek Jeter, Spike Lee, Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, and Tina Fey; it was the Knicks' first Finals appearance since 1999.
Why it matters: Trump's milestone appearance was undercut by friction in the building: a Spurs player publicly called it an inconvenience, fans booed him on the jumbotron, and Secret Service logistics forced earlier arrivals for everyone — meaning the first presidential Finals visit doubled as the first Finals game where a player's own team had to adapt its schedule to the Commander in Chief's schedule.
