Stephen A. Smith has kept up his Knicks-vs-Trump showdown after Donald Trump’s Game 3 appearance. On Sean Hannity’s Fox News show June 11, Smith doubled down on blaming Trump for the Knicks losing 115-111—and for the “mojo” swing that followed—even as Trump fi
For Stephen A. Smith, the Knicks’ Game 3 collapse didn’t just feel like a loss. It felt personal—and it started with Donald Trump’s presence.
The 58-year-old diehard fan of the New York Knicks appeared on Sean Hannity’s eponymous Fox News show on June 11. continuing to insist that he would blame the president if his team didn’t win the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Smith had been laying the groundwork for those stakes in the days leading up to Trump’s Game 3 appearance on June 8. sharply criticizing the president for accepting Knicks owner James Dolan’s invitation to attend.
Before Trump walked onto the stage at Game 3, the Knicks were riding a 13-game winning streak in the playoffs and had opened up a 2-0 lead in the Finals. Smith made clear he believed Trump brought bad vibes to that run. The Knicks didn’t hold the momentum. In the game that ended 115-111, they lost.
Hannity challenged Smith during the June 11 conversation. telling him he “lost his mind” by blaming Trump for the outcome of a basketball game. Smith didn’t back down. He said he stood by what he’d said before the game—that Trump “had no business at that game.” Then he pushed back on Hannity’s framing. saying. “like you tell me to stay in my lane when it comes to politics. you don’t know sports!. You don’t understand.”.
Smith doubled down on the superstition of it, arguing that Trump’s Game 3 appearance drained the Knicks’ rhythm—Smith’s “mojo.” Trump and Smith have been trading shots ever since.
When Trump, 79, was asked about Smith’s comments on Monday, he aimed straight at Smith’s qualifications. He said, “He is a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that. I don’t think he does actually.”
Smith responded with a half-joking challenge on June 9, inviting Trump to a debate. Then on June 10, Trump posted: “Stephen A. Smith is an arrogant fool, a low IQ individual. In other words. he’s ‘dumb as a rock. ’ and totally unqualified to ever think of running for high political office. or even low political office. for that matter.”.
During the Hannity interview, Smith insisted he wasn’t bothered by the insults. “I take no offense with the president coming after me the way that he did,” he said. “People go after him every day. I certainly went after him. He has every right to come back and clap back at me. I’m a big boy. I can take it.”.
But Smith pivoted back to fandom—attacking whether Trump is truly qualified to claim it. Smith said Trump “ain’t fazing” him. then drew a line between Queens roots and Knicks loyalty. saying Trump “was raised in Queens. New York — lifelong Knicks fan — knows about the suffering that spans 53 years.” For Smith. that history matters because. as he put it. “when you are a true sports fan. you know every little thing could disrupt the momentum.”.
He continued, describing what he expected right after Game 3. “After [the Knicks] lost Game 3, I thought they would lose Game 4. And sure enough. they were down by 29 points.” He tied it back to Trump again: “So I definitely was blaming him because there’s nothing like they looked en route to a 13-game winning streak.” Smith argued Trump “wants to talk and call me names. ” adding. “Donald Trump knows he had no business disrupting that mojo. Not a true New York Knicks fan.”.
Those claims landed as the Finals swung in a way that could shake anyone’s sense of certainty: on June 10. the Knicks completed the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. overcoming a 29-point second-half deficit to defeat the Spurs. They took a 3-1 series lead and moved to within one win of their first championship in over half a century.
The tension in the Smith-Trump feud now sits right beside the scoreboard—because Smith didn’t just predict trouble. He blamed the interruption. And after that comeback. the argument won’t be settled by a single game—it’ll keep chasing every moment of the Finals as the Knicks move closer to the title.
Stephen A. Smith Sean Hannity Fox News Donald Trump New York Knicks NBA Finals San Antonio Spurs James Dolan Game 3 Game 4 mojo comeback