NBA Commissioner Adam Silver pushed back Monday against criticism surrounding President Donald Trump’s attendance at a New York Knicks playoff game, saying the president has been a longtime supporter of the franchise and a familiar presence at Madison Square Garden for decades.
Silver made the remarks before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, where he was interviewed by ESPN’s broadcast crew.
His comments came after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioned Trump’s appearance at the game and suggested the president was using the event to draw attention to himself, as reported [1] by Red State.
According to Silver, Trump’s history with the Knicks and Madison Square Garden is well established.
“He was a fixture at Madison Square Garden,” Silver said during the broadcast.
“You guys remember – all of you – when you played here back in the old days, he had courtside seats. He was here all the time. He was at drafts, so he’s a genuine Knicks fan.”
Silver’s comments were widely circulated on social media as debate continued over Trump’s appearance at the game.
The commissioner also used the opportunity to discuss the broader role of sports in public life, arguing that sporting events should bring people together rather than deepen political divisions.
“The arena is packed. People got through extra security,” Silver said. “I think we should be using sports to create more of a sense of community with people, not less.”
🚨 WOW! NBA Commissioner Adam Silver just went full TRUMP MODE at Madison Square Garden
“He was a FIXTURE at Madison Square Garden…he had courtside seats, here ALL the time. He was at drafts. He’s a GENUINE Knicks fan.” 🔥
“The arena is packed. People got through extra… pic.twitter.com/0PaP1FjTHG [3]
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 9, 2026 [4]
The discussion followed comments made earlier in the day by Jeffries during a press conference on Capitol Hill. The New York Democrat questioned whether Trump was genuinely a fan of the Knicks and criticized the president’s attendance at the game.
“It also is not clear to me that Donald Trump is a big Knicks fan. I mean, does this guy even know the difference between Karl Rove and Karl-Anthony Towns?!? I don’t think so. He’s just injecting himself into the NBA Finals because he always has to bring the MAGA circus into town, and that’s unfortunate,” Jeffries said.
Hakeem Jeffries: “It also is not clear to me that Donald Trump is a big Knicks fan. I mean does this guy even know the difference between Karl Rove and Karl-Anthony Towns?!? I don’t think so. He’s just injecting himself into the NBA Finals because he always has to bring the MAGA… pic.twitter.com/zwcZurlflm [5]
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 8, 2026 [6]
The exchange added another political dimension to a high-profile sporting event that drew national attention.
Trump, who grew up in New York City, has attended Knicks games for many years and has frequently appeared at major sporting events during his time in public life.
Neither Trump nor the White House immediately responded to Jeffries’ remarks. However, Silver’s comments provided a direct response to questions surrounding the president’s connection to the team.
The controversy emerged as the Knicks continue their postseason run and as political figures from both parties increasingly use major sporting events as opportunities to connect with voters and supporters.
Silver did not address the political aspects of the dispute beyond his comments about sports serving as a unifying force. Instead, he focused on the president’s long history of attending games and participating in events associated with the franchise.
The episode underscores how major sporting events continue to intersect with politics, particularly when high-profile elected officials attend nationally televised games.
In this case, the debate centered not on the action on the court but on whether a longtime public figure’s ties to the team were genuine.
As attention remained focused on the NBA Finals, Silver’s remarks shifted the discussion back toward the league and the game itself, emphasizing what he described as the value of sports in bringing communities together.