President Donald Trump is considering attending an NBA Finals game next week after the New York Knicks secured a place in the championship round, according to a report from The New York Times published Wednesday.
The report, citing three people familiar with the matter, said Trump could make an appearance at Madison Square Garden if the Knicks host a Finals game. New York swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, completing a 4-0 series win on Monday to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in years.
The Knicks are now waiting to learn their opponent. The Oklahoma City Thunder moved within one win of the Finals on Tuesday after defeating the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals to take a 3-2 series lead.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points for Oklahoma City, while Alex Caruso added 22 points off the bench and Jared McCain contributed 20 in his first playoff start. The defending NBA champions can close the series Thursday in San Antonio.
If the Spurs extend the matchup, a Game 7 would be played Saturday in Oklahoma City. Either the Thunder or Spurs will travel to New York for Game 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals. The Finals are set to start on June 3.
According to The New York Times, Trump had initially planned a surprise appearance at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday if the Knicks had failed to finish off Cleveland in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. Instead, New York’s sweep shifted attention toward a possible Finals visit.
Trump recently said he has continued following the Knicks during their postseason run and spoke positively about franchise owner James Dolan.
A sitting or former American president attending an NBA Finals game remains uncommon, making the possibility notable beyond basketball circles.
The newspaper noted that Trump attended several high-profile events over the last year, including the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the U.S. Open men’s final and a New York Yankees game. The report also said he is preparing to host a UFC event on the White House grounds next month.
