Trump Expects to Attend NBA Finals as Knicks Reach First Since 1999

Trump Expects to Attend NBA Finals as Knicks Reach First Since 1999

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he intends to attend at least one NBA Finals game after the New York Knicks secured their first Finals appearance since 1999. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump confirmed he had been invited by multiple parties, including Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan, and said he expected to attend once the series begins in New York.

Trump noted that he had originally planned to attend a Knicks game during the Eastern Conference finals, but New York swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance before that game was necessary. The Knicks’ run through the playoffs has been dominant: the draft material reports the team outscored Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Cleveland by a combined 262 points across 11 games, described as the largest such scoring margin in that span in NBA history. Trump acknowledged Knicks fans had “suffered for years” before this run.

The Finals, set to open in New York on Wednesday, June 4, 2026, will pit the Knicks against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs, whose Western Conference series had not concluded at the time of Trump’s remarks. New York last appeared in the NBA Finals in 1999, when the Spurs defeated the Knicks for the championship.

Trump has made several appearances at major sporting events during his current term, including NFL games and UFC bouts. A Finals appearance would mark his highest-profile attendance at an NBA event and comes as the Knicks chase their first championship since 1973.