Knicks Analyst Angers Swifties After Getting Caught On Hot Mic Dunking On Taylor Swift During Game 4

The New York Knicks are leading the San Antonio Spurs in their best of seven series for the 2026 NBA championship. The Knicks won games one and two in San Antonio, but then lost game three in New York before coming back to win game four on their home turf.

As with all major sporting events, tickets to the game are highly sought commodities. Two specific attendees for games three and four drew backlash for pushing out or ruining the experience for other fans or for just being there.

A napping MAGA Republican President Donald Trump was unwelcome at game three by the majority of New York City residents and the Madison Square Garden crowd who booed him. As Rosie O'Donnell pointed out, the POTUS has never been popular in his hometown.

And Knicks radio analyst Monica McNutt took exception to one attendee of game four: singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.

The 880 ESPN analyst, in what seemed to be a hot mic moment for McNutt and the official radio voice of the Knicks Tyler Murray, first noticed Swift in the crowd.

McNutt asked:

"Is that Taylor Swift down there?"

As the two tried to identify if it was Swift, McNutt busted Murray's chops for taking a photo of the celebrity.

Murray responded:

"It's for my wife."

McNutt then declared:

"She's not a Knicks fan. Get out of here, girl!"

You can watch the moment here:

youtube.com

Pushback on McNutt's comment was, no pun intended, swift.

When the video was shared on X, a community note was soon added, stating:

"Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for over 20 years. 'Swift said her affinity for the Knicks developed at a young age, when she performed at the Knicks Kids Talent Competition at the Garden.'"

The note included a link to a 2014 NY Post article, titled "Taylor Swift’s Knicks fandom started at the Met Ball," that was all about Swift's love for the team. The Post article quoted a TIME magazine interview with Swift which noted the singer was a frequent attendee at Knicks games ever since moving to New York in early 2014.

People sounded off on McNutt's assumptions about Swift.

Many included photos of Swift at Knicks games in the past.

@omahajoe/Bluesky

After the backlash, McNutt explained her diss on Swift was because she hadn't seen the singer on the Knicks' celebrity row with Ben Stiller and Spike Lee for the last two years, so she assumed Swift wasn't a fan and only came to the game because it was the finals.

However, Swift was on tour throughout 2024 and has spent less time in New York since she began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

But McNutt did offer an apology.

The finals return to San Antonio for game five, which will end the series and determine the champions if the Knicks win. People noted the Knicks lost the night Trump was in attendance, but won with Swift in the crowd.

Coincidence? Probably.

But if the Knicks have to return to New York for game six, Swift is likely to be more welcome at Madison Square Garden than the POTUS.