SAN ANTONIO — President Donald Trump confirmed that he plans to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York after he was invited by Knicks owner and governor James Dolan.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday that Trump was “welcome” to attend, and this may be the first time a sitting president has attended an NBA Finals game.
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“I’d say the President, of course, is welcome to attend Game 3,” Silver said at an NBA Cares event. “And this President, Donald Trump, before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan.”
Silver has previously talked about the soft power of sports to bring people together and sees this as another such opportunity.
“I think sports, in particular, is something where we can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart, that it creates a sense of belonging,” Silver said. “We’re seeing that in New York, and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I’m thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knicks team.”
The NBA Finals are not the first major sporting event Trump has attended. He was at the 2025 Super Bowl, the 2025 U.S. Open tennis tournament, and last January the College Football Playoff championship game.
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