The New York Knicks are just two wins away from ending a championship drought that stretches more than five decades. As excitement builds across New York City, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has come with an unexpected request to President Donald Trump.
Speaking on his SiriusXM radio show, Smith said he would prefer that Trump stay away from Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. His comments quickly sparked discussion among basketball fans and political observers.
Stephen A. Smith explains his stance
President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will be attending the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
"I’ve been a Knicks fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan. He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win and he’s a competitive guy and he’s got a team that’s amazing. I don’t think they’ve lost a playoff game. Can you imagine that?" Trump said.
After Trump confirmed his plans, Smith made it clear that it's not a great idea to attend the finals. The opinion was not based on politics. Instead, he argued that the atmosphere surrounding the Knicks’ Finals is already intense.
{{/usCountry}}After Trump confirmed his plans, Smith made it clear that it's not a great idea to attend the finals. The opinion was not based on politics. Instead, he argued that the atmosphere surrounding the Knicks’ Finals is already intense.
{{/usCountry}}"It has everything to do with him disrupting and contributing at the same time to the chaos that’s going to be existing at Madison Square Garden," Smith said. “If it were Barack Obama coming to the Garden, I would say, Stay home. Stay at the White House.”
Smith said he did not want Trump at the game because his presence would add more intensity
"I have been covering sports for over 30 years. And I’m telling you right now, come Monday, for Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, I expect to see an environment I have never seen in my entire career covering sports. You don’t understand. You don’t understand," Smith added.
Trump expected to attend Finals game
Trump recently revealed that he had been invited by Knicks owner James Dolan to attend the NBA Finals. The president has publicly praised the Knicks during their postseason run and indicated that he plans to be present for at least one Finals game.
If Trump attends, it would mark a rare presidential appearance at an NBA Finals contest and would likely draw significant media attention beyond the basketball match.
Knicks remain focus of Finals spotlight
Despite the discussion surrounding Trump’s possible attendance, the main story remains the Knicks’ pursuit of their first NBA championship since 1973.