Adam Silver backs Donald Trump’s Knicks fan credentials, says he’s ‘welcome’ for Game 3 of NBA Finals
SAN ANTONIO — NBA commissioner Adam Silver said “of course” the president of the United States is “welcome” to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, particularly this one.
President Donald Trump, who on Thursday told reporters that he planned to attend Game 3 and also potentially Game 4, both in New York next week, would be the first sitting president to attend a finals game. The last sitting president to attend any NBA game was Barack Obama in 2015.
Silver, a New York City resident, vouched for Trump’s New York and NBA credentials on Thursday in response to questions about Trump’s planned attendance at the finals.
“Before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan,” Silver said of Trump. “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 actually appeared in one of our ‘I love this Game’ spots when I was running NBA Entertainment years ago.”
Silver took over as commissioner in 2014. Before serving as deputy to former commissioner David Stern, he was chief operating officer of NBA Entertainment in the 2000s. As Silver said, Trump made a cameo in a 2004 “I love this Game” spot for the NBA. In the ad, the future president and, at the time, a reality TV star said, “I love this game, and if you don’t, you’re fired,” in a nod to the catch phrase from his show “The Apprentice.” Trump’s spot was filmed on the baseline at Madison Square Garden.
“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 Knick team.”
Donald Trump is pictured sitting next to his future wife, Melania Knauss, during a game between the Knicks and Pacers in the 1999 NBA Eastern Conference finals at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. (Jeff Haynes / AFP via Getty Images)
Trump said Thursday that he was invited to the finals by Knicks owner James Dolan. Game 3 is set for Monday and Game 4 for Wednesday.
“I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” he said. “He’s a nice guy, OK? He’s 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?” (The Knicks have won 12 straight playoff games and are 13-2 in this postseason).
Trump said he watched the start of Tuesday’s Game 1 and it was “not looking good,” as the Spurs led 27-19 after the first quarter. “Wemby’s (Spurs star Victor Wembanyama) a great player. … How do you guard this guy? He’s 7-foot-5 and he’s got a great shot. But (the Knicks) find a way to do it. They’re a great team, and I’m happy for Jim.”
Trump has attended several high-profile sporting events in the past, including the 2025 Super Bowl, the 2025 U.S. Open tennis tournament and the 2026 College Football Playoff championship game. The bombastic Republican also never won New York, a largely Democratic state, in any of the three presidential elections he ran in, and there are likely to be at least a mixture of boos when or if he is shown on the MSG video boards.
Silver said Trump’s expected presence wouldn’t take away from the magnitude of the finals on the court and said the only distraction would be the extra security at MSG for the president.
“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.”
Silver said the extra security “may be more of an inconvenience,” but “at the end of the day, I don’t think New Yorkers will mind that at all.”
