Trump Plans to Attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in N.Y.C. to Cheer on the Knicks Against the Spurs: Report
Trump Plans to Attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in N.Y.C. to Cheer on the Knicks Against the Spurs: Report
Meredith KileWed, June 3, 2026 at 8:51 PM UTC
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President Donald Trump; the New York Knicks celebrate their NBA Eastern Conference Championship on May 25Credit: Evan Vucci-Pool/Getty; David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty -
President Donald Trump reportedly plans to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals to cheer on the New York Knicks versus the San Antonio Spurs
Trump used to be photographed courtside during his time on the New York City social scene, but has had his fandom questioned during the Knicks' recent run
The president previously said he had planned to attend a game during the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Knicks "closed it out too quickly," sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in just four games
There might be another famous face in the crowd during the upcoming NBA Finals: President Donald Trump.
The New York Post reported on Wednesday, June 3, that the president plans to attend Game 3 of the Finals on Monday, June 8, when the series returns to NYC so the New York Knicks can take on the San Antonio Spurs on their home court at Madison Square Garden.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also expected to be in attendance, though he is not expected to sit with the president, the Post reported. According to the publication's sources, MSG performed security walkthroughs this week to prepare for the high-profile guests at the game, New York City's first Finals game in 27 years.
Trump will likely sit in a box at the storied area, avoiding the courtside seats favored by famous Knicks faithful like Timothée Chalamet (and his newly converted girlfriend, Kylie Jenner), Ben Stiller, Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan and more.
The White House and MSG did not immediately return PEOPLE's requests for comment on the New York Post's report.
Trump was once a frequent sight at MSG during his time on the NYC social scene. He was photographed on celebrity row with his second wife, Marla Maples, and took his eldest sons, Eric and Don Jr., to games in their teenage years.
The president even rubbed elbows with John F. Kennedy Jr. during a Knicks-Pacers game in March 1999, just a few months before the Kennedy heir's death in a plane crash off of Martha's Vineyard.
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Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy Jr. watch the the New York Knicks take on the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on March 31, 1999Credit: Keith Torrie/NY Daily News Archive via Getty
However, Trump's fandom has been called into question during the Knicks' championship run this season. When asked last month about attending a game, he said he had planned to go to the Eastern Conference Finals, but lost his chance when the Knicks swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in just four games.
"I was going to go... but they closed it out very quickly," he said. "What a team, they win all their games. They have some great players... The Knicks have suffered for many years. They're doing right now."
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The president added that he had been invited to attend the Finals by "numerous people," including Jim Dolan, MSG's executive chairman and chief executive officer, who is a Trump donor and supporter.
"Jim Dolan's a great guy... he's having a good year," Trump said.
For Knicks fans who don't receive a personalized invitation, however, watching their team in the Finals is going to cost a significant amount.
According to TickPick, the current "get-in" or cheapest price for a ticket to Game 3 at MSG on Monday, June 8, is now $4,191 – 455% more expensive than the current "get-in" price of Game 1 (on Wednesday, June 3) in San Antonio ($755).Currently, Game 3 is now the most expensive NBA Finals game on record with an average purchase price of $5,137, TickPick data shows. Game 4 ranks as the second-most expensive on record with an average purchase price of $4,933.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
