President Donald Trump is a “genuine” New York Knicks fan, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver said his presence at Game 3 of the NBA Finals is worth the hassle for fans.
Trump is a guest of Knicks owner James Dolan at Monday night’s game between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. This is the first Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999.
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“He’s welcome to be here,” Silver said. “What makes sports so special, especially when there’s so much that divides people, is it’s something that we have in common. We should look for those things that we have in common and build off that,” Silver told the NBA Tip-Off crew before the game.
Trump has gone to many sporting events during both his terms as president, including the Super Bowl and the U.S. Open tennis tournament. That he would come to Madison Square Garden is not a surprise, given his long affinity with the Knicks.
Silver said Trump was once a “fixture” at Knicks games and had courtside seats. He’d even come to the NBA drafts.
“So he’s a genuine Knicks fan,” Silver said.
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But Trump’s presence meant security was heightened, with fans told to arrive at Madison Square Garden at least two hours before tipoff. The security perimeter around the arena also was extended, prohibiting vehicular and foot traffic in anticipation of Trump’s arrival.
“Yes, there’s some inconvenience to the fans here but looking around at the arena, it’s packed,” Silver said. “So people listened, they came early, they got through whatever extra security which is necessary.
“As I said, I think we should be using sports to create more of a sense of community with people, not less.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA’s Adam Silver praises President Donald Trump’s Game 3 appearance
