Knicks owner James Dolan defended his good friend and United States president Donald Trump amid sleeping allegations during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The past Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals was filled with tons of headlines, but the controversial in-game attendance of Donald Trump has simply topped the list.
New York Knicks / Schedule
The United States president paid a visit and watched the previous Monday's game at Madison Square Garden along with his granddaughter Kay and several members of his cabinet. Infamously, Trump went viral as he was caught sleeping during the Finals match between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks.
Amid criticisms and backlash, James Dolan defended Trump and made it clear that the president stayed awake for the duration of the game.
"I was with him the whole time," the Knicks owner said on WFAN's The Carton Show. "We were talking the whole time.
"He was very much awake, he was very much engaged."
James Dolan defends Donald Trump NBA Finals Game 3 attendance
As it is, many have been critical of Trump's appearance in the NBA Finals, which materialized after James Dolan himself invited the U.S. president.
Authorities have imposed strict security measures inside and outside Madison Square Garden. Watch parties for fans were cancelled in the area, and heavy inspections were made for those who attended the game.
As the United States anthem was sung before Game 3, Trump was booed by fans within the Garden, which only highlights the frustration of many with the president's appearance.
In the end, Dolan is convinced that Trump earned the right to watch and enjoy the game as a Knicks fan.
"That's the first sitting president of the United States to ever go to an NBA Finals. That is a huge honor. And he's a New Yorker. Whatever you think about him, he's a Knicks fan. People don't want to hear this, I think he's a great guy. I love — I've known him for over 30 years, but I'm not going to go on this show and start espousing the president," Dolan added.
"I'll just say that having him there was a great honor and I enjoyed sitting with him. He asked me a lot of questions."
Trump will reportedly not attend Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, but it remains to be seen if he will appear yet again.
Like what we are doing? Support us by becoming BN+ member.
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.