President Donald Trump is expected to attend one or two NBA Finals games next week in New York after receiving an invitation from New York Knicks owner James Dolan.
“The answer is yes,” Trump said Thursday when asked about attending the championship series between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. “(Dolan) has invited me, and I’m going. I’ll be there. It could be Monday (for Game 3). Maybe I’ll do both (with Game 4 on Wednesday).”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the president’s presence would require heightened security at Madison Square Garden but would not disrupt the event.
“I am sure there will be announcements about coming early,” Silver said. “But I think fans are very understanding of that. They recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event.”
Trump would become the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. The last sitting president to attend a regular-season NBA game was Barack Obama in 2015.
“I think sports in particular is something where we can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart,” Silver said. “It creates a sense of belonging. 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 Knicks team.”
Dolan had extended the invitation for Trump to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, Trump said last month, but the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1999.
New York’s opponent then and now is the Spurs, who won the previous meeting and are attempting to prevent the Knicks from winning their first league title since 1973.
The Knicks defeated the Spurs 105-95 on Wednesday for their 12th consecutive victory and can take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series on the road Friday.
“The Knicks find a way to do it,” Trump said Thursday. “They’re really great, a great team. I’m happy for Jim (Dolan) because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team.”
Trump has attended multiple high-profile sporting events, including the Super Bowl, U.S. Open tennis tournament, Ryder Cup and Daytona 500, during his time in office. In November 2024, he attended a UFC event at Madison Square Garden.
Trump was a longtime New York resident and has ties to the franchise and Dolan, who also oversees operations of Madison Square Garden and the NHL’s New York Rangers.
“Before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan,” Silver said. “I’ve been with the league for a long time. 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, and he appeared in one of our ‘I Love This Game’ spots when I was running NBA Entertainment years ago.”
