President Trump is expected to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 8, according to a report from the New York Post.
The Finals opened Wednesday night in San Antonio, with the Knicks finally returning to the championship stage for the first time in 27 years. After decades of heartbreak, near misses, and false starts, New York basketball fans are watching something they haven’t seen since 1999: a Knicks team playing for a title.
And Trump apparently wants a seat for it.
The president first floated the idea during a cabinet meeting last week, saying he hoped to catch the Knicks during their playoff run. Trump noted that he originally planned to attend the Eastern Conference Finals, but New York swept the series before he could make it happen.
Now, barring any last-minute changes, the plan is for Trump to be in the building when the Finals shift to New York.
According to the Post, Madison Square Garden has already conducted security walkthroughs in preparation for a possible presidential visit. While the White House has not publicly confirmed the trip, multiple sources told the outlet that Game 3 is currently on Trump’s schedule.
The game could also feature another high-profile political figure in attendance.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a longtime Knicks fan, is also expected to be at MSG for Game 3. But if both men are there, don’t expect any courtside photo ops.
Mamdani has already been asked whether he would attend a Knicks game alongside Trump and made clear the two would not be sitting together.
