Knicks and Spurs stars share their candid opinions on Donald Trump attending Game 3 of NBA finals
Knicks and Spurs players heading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals have shared their candid opinions on Donald Trump’s planned attendance at the game.
President Trump, 79, will be among the hundreds of fans gathering at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Monday June 8, to cheer on his favoured team the New York Knicks.
Yet while there may be some prestige to having such a high profile fan in attendance, the arrival of a world leader does mean enhanced security that has left some players feeling more than a little unimpressed.
Speaking to the San Antonio Express News, Spurs player De'Aaron Fox commented on the heightened security at Madison Square Garden just hours before the pivotal game.
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“I think the president being here just makes it inconvenient for everybody else. ...We’re getting screened like it’s TSA. It’s a little inconvenient for the people that’s got to play, but it is what it is.”
Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns meanwhile was a little more diplomatic, as he side-stepped a question from NBC New York that directly asked about his thoughts regarding Trump's appearance.
"Fans have earned the right and deserve the right to see Finals basketball played here, at Madison Square Garden," Towns said. "For it to be a long time to see Finals basketball, it's up to us to bring it, give 'em something to get loud about, give them something to cheer for, and also give them something to believe in.”
Fellow Knicks star OG Anunoby also weighed in, as he revealed that he thought Trump’s presence wouldn’t have much of an impact on the game at hand.
"I think he’ll just be there watching the game," Anunoby said. "We’re going to go as usual, just play our game, try to win the game.”
The President, a longtime Knicks fan, was personally invited to the game by the team’s owner James Dolan, with Trump proudly declaring on Thursday, June 4. "The answer is yes, he’s invited me, I’m going,” Trump said, adding that he might also attend Game 4.
Such a high profile attendance was also celebrated by NBA commissioner Adam Silver who told reporters that he was ‘thrilled’ Trump would attend the game.
"We can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart. 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.”
Commenting on Trump’s enduring support for the team over the years, he went on to add: "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.”
“I think the fans are very understanding of that. I think they recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event," the commissioner added, as per The Guardian.
The attendance also marks a historic first for the NBA, as it is the first time a sitting president has attended a final game.
Topics: Sport, Basketball, NBA, Donald Trump
Phoebe Tonks