Stephen A. Smith Opposes Trump’s Attendance at NBA Finals
Stephen A. Smith, the well-known ESPN commentator, has expressed his desire for President Donald Trump to skip attending the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks are on the brink of their first championship win since 1973, needing just two more victories. As excitement builds around the games, Smith believes that Trump’s presence would only escalate the already intense atmosphere surrounding Game 3 against the Spurs.
“I don’t want him there,” Smith stated during his SiriusXM radio show on Friday. He clarified that his feelings weren’t politically motivated, but he feels that Trump would simply add more chaos to an already charged environment.
“It has everything to do with him disrupting the chaos that exists at Madison Square Garden while contributing to it at the same time,” Smith elaborated. He added that if former President Barack Obama were to attend, he would also prefer him to stay away.
Smith, who has been in the sports journalism field for over three decades, mentioned that he expects Monday’s Game 3 to generate an unmatched atmosphere in his career, which makes it all the more crucial to keep external distractions at bay.
Trump, a fellow New Yorker, has a long-standing connection with the Knicks, frequently attending their games long before his political career took off. He has also shown up at various major events at MSG over the years.
Trump was invited to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals but missed out after the Knicks secured a decisive victory against the Cavaliers.
Reflecting on the Knicks’ journey, Trump commented, “They’ve got some really great players. Yeah, I think I’ll go to one of the games. It’s great to see. The Knicks have really, really struggled for years and they’re doing really well right now.”
After a narrow win of 105-104 in Game 2, the Knicks now lead their series against the Spurs 2-0. With 13 consecutive playoff wins under their belt, they are just two wins away from capturing the championship title for the first time in over five decades.
