The New York Knicks are NBA champions for the first time since 1973. That was 16 years before Taylor Swift was born. But the basketball and pop music worlds collided during the NBA Finals when a Knicks analyst, Monica McNutt, suggested that maybe Swift wasn't a fan of the New York team.
On a hot mic that she obviously didn't know was going to be broadcast, McNutt said of Swift during Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, with the Swifties' favorite performer sitting courtside to watch the game, "She’s not a Knicks fan. Get out of here, girl."
First, many people might not have known Swift was a Knicks fan, even though she has a residence in New York. That said, McNutt has no right to suggest anyone should leave a game or not. Make no mistake, though, the analyst is well-respected by some Knicks players, including NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson.
New York Knicks hero Jalen Brunson tries to defend NBA analyst over Taylor Swift comments
Speaking after his team wrapped up the title against the Spurs in San Antonio, and while being interviewed by McNutt, Brunson said, "I just want to say something to the Swifties. (McNutt's) a really good one. Cut her some slack. It’s all good. I promise."
Before that, McNutt had tried to apologize to Taylor Swift fans after a huge social media pushback on her hot mic comments. She claimed to have "misspoke," which is actually the case. She didn't mess up her words; she said what she meant. The issue was that she wasn't aware enough of the situation to make her initial comments.
The analyst said that she had worked with the New York Knicks for five seasons and got to know many of the celebrities that came to games, such as Ben Stiller and Spike Lee, but she hadn't seen Swift at a game this season or last. Like most others, she saw Swift at a home playoff game for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the favorite team of her soon-to-be husband, Tavis Kelce.
At the Cavs-Knicks game, Swift wasn't wearing any New York merchandise, which McNutt took as meaning she wasn't a fan of the Knicks. What the analyst didn't think about was that Swift might not be wearing any Knicks gear out of respect for Kelce and the fact that the game was in Cleveland.
Had Taylor Swift worn a New York Knicks shirt at a home game for the Cleveland Cavaliers with Travis Kelce, the look would have been bad for the singer from a marketing view. Instead, she rightfully chose to wait until the team was back at Madison Square Garden to wear a shirt that said, "Stevie Knicks."
Hopefully, Jalen Brunson's comment healed some wounds. Though when it comes to Swift, her fans tend not to forgive easily.
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