Trump plans to attend NBA Finals game at MSG
May 27, 2026, 02:53 PM ET President Donald Trump said he is planning on attending an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden next month. Trump announced his plans Wednesday to reporters at a Cabinet meeting, saying he was invited to attend the Finals by New York Knicks owner James Dolan. “I think I’ll be…
President Donald Trump said he is planning on attending an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden next month.
Trump announced his plans Wednesday to reporters at a Cabinet meeting, saying he was invited to attend the Finals by New York Knicks owner James Dolan.
“I think I’ll be going to one of the games,” Trump said. “I was invited by numerous people, and [Dolan], and I think I’ll be going.”
Trump would be the first sitting United States president to attend an NBA Finals game. He has attended multiple high-profile sporting events in recent years, including Super Bowl LIX last year in New Orleans and the College Football Playoff National Championship Game earlier this year in Miami.
The Knicks clinched their spot in the NBA Finals on Monday by winning Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, completing a series sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Trump said he initially was going to attend Game 5 of the Knicks-Cavs series, but New York canceled those plans by winning the series in four games, extending its historic run this postseason.
The Knicks have won 11 straight games, outscoring their opponents by 262 points over that stretch. It’s the most lopsided 11-game span in NBA history, regular season or playoffs.
Only three other teams — the Los Angeles Lakers in 1989 and 2001, and the Golden State Warriors in 2017 — have had postseason winning streaks of at least 11 games entering the NBA Finals.
“I was going to go on Wednesday,” Trump said. “But [the Knicks] closed it out very quickly. … Boy what a team, they won all their games. They have some great players.”
The Knicks are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs.
“It’s great to see it,” Trump said. “The Knicks have really suffered for years.”
Game 1 of the NBA Finals will be played June 3 in either Oklahoma City or San Antonio, with Game 2 two days later in the same location. The Knicks will host Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on June 8, with Game 4 set for June 10.
