The San Antonio Spurs are staring down the barrel of a 2-0 deficit in the NBA Finals heading into Monday night’s Game 3 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. However, instead of all the talk surrounding the pivotal Game 3 focusing on the on-court product, a lot of the discussion has revolved around United States President Donald Trump attending Game 3, and potentially Game 4 as well.
“I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan. He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win and he’s a competitive guy and he’s got a team that’s amazing. I don’t think they’ve lost a playoff game. Can you imagine that?” Trump said on Thursday.
“The answer is yes, he’s invited me and I’m going,” Trump said. “It could be Monday … maybe I’ll do both.”
However, Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox is making it clear that he doesn’t appreciate the extra noise surrounding the President’s attendance and the increased security protocols necessary as a result.
“I think the president being here just makes it inconvenient for everybody else… We’re getting screened like it’s TSA,” Fox said. “It’s a little inconvenient for the people that’s got to play, but it is what it is.”
Fox isn’t the only one to take umbrage with the President’s decision. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith called out the move on Monday’s episode of First Take.
“This president has no business showing up in New York City,” Smith ranted, per Awful Announcing. “I am dead serious. It is selfish, it is narcissistic, it is ridiculous that he is coming to this game.”
Regardless of how Smith feels, his employer plans on showcasing the President from his viewing spot in Knicks owner James Dolan’s press box, per Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel. It remains to be seen how the President will be received.