'They’ve suffered for years,' US president Trump planning to attend NBA Finals on invitation of Knicks owner

US President Donald Trump could soon become the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals after confirming that he plans to watch the New York Knicks during their historic championship run. Trump revealed that the Knicks owner James Dolan personally invited him to Madison Square Garden for the Finals and admitted he is considering attending one of the games next month. The Knicks sealed their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 earlier this week after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Trump, a New Yorker, praised the franchise’s turnaround and said the team’s success has been "great to see" after years of struggles in the NBA.

Will Trump attend the NBA Finals to watch the Knicks?

Speaking to reporters during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday (May 27), Trump confirmed the news while talking about the Knicks’ remarkable playoff campaign. "I think I’ll be going to one of the games," Trump said while informing about the invitation from Dolan. "Jim Dolan’s [a] great guy, [he], as you know owns … Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year. Boy, what a team. They won all their games. I was invited by numerous people and Jim – and I think I’ll be going. Great to see. The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years. They’re doing right now very well.”

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Since returning to office for his second term, Trump has regularly appeared at major sporting events across the United States. Earlier this year, he attended college football’s national championship game and several golf tournaments while also maintaining close ties with UFC events. In 2025, Trump became the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl when he watched Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The White House is even scheduled to host a UFC fight card next month on June 14 - Trump's 80th birthday.

When are the NBA Finals?

The 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3, with the Knicks still waiting for the opponents. They will either play the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs. Madison Square Garden is set to host Games 3 and 4 of the series on June 8 and June 10 respectively, while a potential Game 6 in New York would take place on June 16 - if the best-of-seven series goes that long.