Taylor Swift called it “would be the greatest performance ever” during the drama about a ‘fake’ New York Knicks fan.
An NBA reporter from The Athletic has spoken up to defend Taylor Swift, responding to claims that she’s the New York Knicks’ “fakest celebrity fan” and saying her support during the Finals was real.
This comes after Knicks guard Tyler Kolek and teammate Miles “Deuce” McBride called Swift the team’s fakest celebrity fan. Back in June, the pop star made headlines at Madison Square Garden for cheering the Knicks on during their amazing comeback against the San Antonio Spurs, where they erased a 29-point deficit.
READ MORE: Stephen A. Smith shares wild theory about why Donald Trump targeted LeBron James
On Thursday, Kolek and McBride were playing NBA 2K on a TikTok livestream when fans asked them to name the fakest celebrity Knicks supporter.
“Maybe Taylor Swift?” Kolek said. “I don’t think I’ve seen her at other games.” McBride agreed, adding, “Swifties won’t like that answer.”
But during that comeback game, NBA reporter Harper told The Athletic’s live show he was watching two celebrity fans closely—Taylor Swift and Fat Joe.
“I was in the building and could see her in the front row. At halftime, when the Knicks were down by 26 or 27, I saw Taylor Swift and her friends head into the tunnel,” Harper said. “I thought there was no way she’d come back out with the Spurs dominating.”
To his surprise, Swift returned and kept cheering. “I watched Taylor Swift really be a fan that night. If she were faking it, that would have been one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. She was fully into the game,” he added.
READ MORE: Donald Trump says WNBA stars will ‘destroy themselves’ amid anthem and ‘trans girls’ controversies
On Friday, the Knicks also came to Swift’s defense, saying: “Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years and has a long history with Madison Square Garden. We really appreciate her support.”
Swift even tied the knot with NFL star Travis Kelce at the Garden in July, just a month after cheering on the team.
While Harper clearly believes Swift’s support was real, the Knicks have some “unofficial rules” for celebrities sitting in “Celebrity Row” that might explain why she stayed during the tough first half.
ESPN reported that stars like Swift have to stay in their seats for the whole game, whether the team is winning or getting blown out. For example, in 2023, Emily Ratajkowski left early during a Knicks game and wasn’t given free tickets for the next game.
If celebrities leave early, they’re not banned but have to buy tickets like regular fans next time. The Knicks also ask fans on Celebrity Row to look presentable because they are often shown on the big screen and in other promos at Madison Square Garden.
READ NEXT: Nikola Jokic picks his four greatest NBA players of all time—with one surprising choice