The New York Knicks rushed to Taylor Swift’s defense Friday after players Tyler Kolek and Miles McBride questioned the singer’s fandom.
The defending world champions were quick to jump ontheir white horse and laud the singer in the wake of their players stirring up some bad bloodwith blue-and-orange Swifties.
“Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years, has a long history with Madison Square Garden, and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organization,” a Knicks spokesperson said in a statement to NBC News.
Kolek might even have some explaining to do to his girlfriend and self-identified Swiftie, Alexi Sousa, who wanted to know “what he had to say about my girl.”
The Knicks famously boast a front row of world-famous fans at their Madison Square Garden home dates.
When Kolek and McBride appeared on an NBA 2K TikTok livestream on Thursday and were asked who is “the fakest celeb fan you’ve seen courtside,” they dared to come for the 5-foot-10 Pennsylvania nativeand 14-time Grammy winner.
“Maybe Taylor Swift?” Kolek said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen her at any other <a href="https://comicvibe.com/next-week-on-xbox-new-games-for-november-9-to-13/” title=”Next Week on XBOX: New Games for November 9 to 13″>games.”
McBride agreed, but acknowledged that he and Kolek had damaged their reputationand were headed forantiherostatus.
“I would agree,” McBride said. “Swifties [are] not going like that answer.”
Sensing he was in trouble, Kolek tried to backtrack and say Swift’s life as showgirl might make attending Knicks games a challenge.
“I guess she’s got a lot going on so she can’t come all the time,” Kolek said. “But it’s a little performative.”
Swift’s role in Knicks history will live as longas fans remember Game 4 of the NBA finals, when she sat courtside with Alana Haim, Este Haim and Mariska Hargitay at Madison Square Garden.
They donned T-shirts with Knicks-ian puns and watched New York shake off a 29-point deficit to beat San Antonio.
The Knicks, three days later, clinched the series in San Antonio and brought the NBA title back to New York for the first time since 1973.
Swift is no stranger to the Knicks, as she famously visited practice in 2014 and got a lift from Amar’e Stoudemire for a memorable slam dunk.
