President Donald Trump is considering a visit to Madison Square Garden for the NBA Finals now that his hometown Knicks have reached the championship round, people familiar with the discussions say.
A courtside appearance would be unusual for a sitting president but fits Trump’s habit of using marquee sports events to rally supporters. Over the past year he has attended the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the U.S. Open men’s final, and a Yankees game. Next month he plans to host an Ultimate Fighting Championship card on the White House South Lawn for his birthday, a nod to his close ties with UFC president Dana White, according to The New York Times.
Had the Knicks lost Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday, aides say Trump planned a surprise Garden visit two nights later. Instead, New York’s sweep of Cleveland shifted focus to the Finals. Trump, who has followed the team’s run closely, told WABC-AM: “I really like Jim Dolan a lot, I’m really happy for him and the team. I think it’s great.”
The White House declined to comment. A Madison Square Garden spokesman said any president “is always welcome” at the arena.
Knicks owner James Dolan, a longtime Trump ally and donor, once married at Mar-a-Lago and has defended his friendship: “I’m a member of Mar-a-Lago, and I support him as a friend. And you don’t have to agree with everything that he’s doing in order to support him.”
Trump’s relationship with the NBA has been combative. After the Golden State Warriors skipped a White House visit in 2017, he revoked the invitation and criticized Stephen Curry. He has also targeted LeBron James on social media.
The Knicks will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs. Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama has voiced concerns about living in the United States, while the Thunder declined a White House visit last season.
Trump’s sports outreach can stir locker-room tensions, mostly with liberals who can never conceive that anyone may hold different political opinions from them. Last week Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart introduced him at a rally, prompting teammate Abdul Carter to object online before the two reconciled.
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