Stephen A. Smith says he doesn’t want President Donald Trump attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, arguing the city will be chaotic enough without him. Trump is expected to attend the Knicks–Spurs matchup, as the Knicks t
Stephen A. Smith’s argument started the way Monday night in New York often does—unprompted, loud, and already late to be calming.
On his radio show, as he discussed President Donald Trump’s plans to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, Smith said, “He’s coming to Game 3 of the Finals, and I don’t want him there.”
He went further, insisting his objection wasn’t about ideology. “It has nothing to do with politics, policy, or anything like that. It has everything to do with him disrupting and contributing at the same time to the chaos that’s going to exist at Madison Square Garden.”
Smith added a pointed comparison: “If it were Barack Obama coming to the Garden, I would say, ‘Stay home.’ Stay at the White House.”
Smith’s warning lands as Trump is expected to attend Monday night’s Knicks–Spurs matchup. On Wednesday, OutKick confirmed through a source familiar with the plans that Trump is expected to be at Game 3.
Last week, Trump had already signaled interest in being there. When asked about the Knicks’ playoff run. he said. “I think I’ll be going to one of the games.” He also said he planned to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals before New York wrapped up that series early with a four-game sweep of Cleveland.
Monday night is framed as a historic spotlight for the Knicks. The franchise will host an NBA Finals game for the first time in 27 years.
The team’s path to this moment has accelerated quickly. Though originally underdogs against the Spurs, the Knicks have won 12 straight playoff games and currently lead the series 1-0. New York has not lost a game since April 23.
But Smith isn’t focused on basketball tonight. He’s focused on what he says will happen around the city.
“You don’t understand what Monday is going to be like in New York City,” Smith said. “The subways will never be more packed. Don’t drive your cars in Midtown. It will be a parking lot.”
He described his expectation as something beyond sports coverage. “There is nothing short of madness that is coming the way of everybody come Monday. You don’t understand. I have been covering sports for over 30 years. And I’m telling you right now. come Monday. for Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. I expect to see an environment I have never seen in my entire career covering sports.”.
For all of Smith’s forcefulness. the piece’s counterweight is that the NBA itself appears to see Trump’s attendance as a boost. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said this week: “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.”.
That sets up the central friction: Smith insists the presence of the president will add disruption to an already intense setting, while Silver treats it as part of the celebration—another sign the moment belongs to New York.
The discussion is also spilling beyond sports in a way Smith’s remarks explicitly try to deny. The idea that welcoming Trump to a game is political is contested inside the broader media ecosystem. and the article surrounding this moment points to potential criticism from other high-profile personalities.
The newsroom framing also includes a social snapshot from the streets. OutKick asked Knicks fans about Trump coming to the game this week, and one fan’s reaction was simple and approving: “It’s great to see,” Trump said about the team’s run. “The Knicks have really suffered for years.”
Stephen A. Smith Donald Trump Knicks Spurs NBA Finals Game 3 Madison Square Garden Adam Silver New York City