Trump reveals what he heard from crowd at Knicks game after getting savagely booed

Donald Trump made history on Monday evening by becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game—yet in a historic first that naturally followed, he also became the first sitting president to be loudly booed at one when his image flashed onto the Madison Square Garden jumbotron.

While countless clips, memes and personal witness accounts of the scale of the boos have flooded the internet in the 24 hours since, it appears the President has a very different account of what exactly happened within the venue’s four walls.

Speaking to members of the press aboard Air Force One on his return journey back to the White House, Trump reflected on his appearance at the sporting event as he claimed it was an ‘amazing’ experience and notably downplayed the animosity he had faced.

“I thought it was very good, it was certainly amazing, It was, I think, mostly cheers,” he said. “It was loud and it was very enthusiastic.”

Donald Trump was greeted by angry boos during Monday's NBA Game 3 final (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Instead of being court-side for the event, Trump viewed the game from a private box alongside his granddaughter Kai Trump, but while she seemed to be gripped by the game unfolding on the court, the action later appeared to be too much for the President, as photographs taken appeared to capture him sleeping.

In several images, the US leader was snapped with his eyes close and his posture slumped, in a direct echo to several earlier accusations in recent months that he had been falling asleep in cabinet meetings - claims he had always strongly denied.

The Knicks ultimately went on to lose the game 111-115, bringing an end to their 13 winning game streak and reinforcing claims from critics that the team had fallen victim to the ‘Donald Trump curse’.

The playful jibe stemmed from the President’s aptitude for backing the losing team across various sports, as evidenced by his support of the Kansas City Chiefs over the Philadelphia Eagles at last year’s Super Bowl, and again this year when he endorsed the New England Patriots over the Seattle Seahawks.

Firebrand ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith was one of the more high profile believers that Trump’s presence on Monday had effectively jinxed the Knicks, as he bluntly declared: "Our president showed up to New York City last night. And needless to say what I feared would happen, ended up happening."

At one point, Trump even appeared to be asleep (SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

"The New York Knicks lost and obviously I’m blaming him, why am I blaming him ladies and gentlemen it’s very simple because the president disrupted our mojo.

"I’ve said this on many occasions over the last 24 hours and I’m saying it again. The man messed things up."

This then prompted an equally catty clapback from Trump who bluntly stated that he lacked the IQ to ever run for President.

“I think he's a nice guy but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ, I’m not sure Stephen A Smith has that.”