Stephen A. Smith Begs President Donald Trump to ‘Stay Away’ From NBA Finals

President Donald Trump will be attending Games 3 & 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden this coming week.

Stephen A. Smith Begs President Donald Trump to ‘Stay Away’ From NBA Finals

Stephen A. Smith and Donald Trump (Image via FirstSportz)

With the NBA Finals headed to New York City for Games 3 & 4, Stephen A. Smith and other natives will have Donald Trump in attendance to watch the New York Knicks try to clinch the championship.

The President is also a native of Queens, just like the ESPN analyst, and has been a fan of the team for a very long time. The arena is expected to be loud and sold out when the Knicks battle against the San Antonio Spurs.

Moreover, fans are expected to line the streets in the hope that the team brings home the win. It has been more than a decade since a New York team from the four major sports leagues has won a championship.

On top of that, the Knicks haven’t won a championship for more than five decades. All of this leads to a situation where if the team were to win it at home, the city is going to go bonkers.

He’s coming to Game 3 & 4 of the Finals, and I don’t want him there… It has nothing to do with politics, policy, or anything like that. It has everything to do with him disrupting and contributing at the same time to the chaos that’s going to be existing at Madison Square Garden.

Stephen A. Smith said on his namesake show

The 58-year-old suggested that, considering the pandemonium that will transpire, Donald Trump’s presence will only add to it. However, Stephen A. Smith made it clear that there was nothing political about what he said.

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Stephen A. Smith wouldn’t want Barack Obama coming to Madison Square Garden for NBA Finals

Generally, Stephen A. Smith’s comment would cause a furor once this clip went viral. The difference this time is that he was not just asking Donald Trump not to decline his Madison Square Garden invitation; it would be his opinion for any former President.

Knicks fans lining up the streets of New York
Knicks fans lining up the streets of New York (Image via Fox News/X)

If it were Barack Obama coming to the Garden, I would say, ‘Stay home.’ Stay at the White House.

Stephen A. Smith said

Smith also mentioned former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, just to make sure he was not taking sides. He then explained why he does not want the current President to come.

You don’t understand what Monday is going to be like in New York City… There is nothing short of madness that is coming your way, come Monday… Come Monday,.. I expect to see an environment I have never seen in my entire career covering sports.

Smith continued

It seems the ESPN executive producer is referring to what the mere presence of the country’s most powerful man will do to the city amid all this chaos. If Trump arrives with his entourage, it will only make matters worse.

Smith has a good relationship with the President, and the latter has also seemingly endorsed the father of two’s prospects in the next elections. Therefore, it was not a political opinion.

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Knicks fans are already clogging New York City

Game three of the 2026 NBA Finals is on Monday. Stephen A. Smith was warning that those working late will likely get stuck in traffic in the city.

Jalen Brunson and his New York Knicks are on a 12-game winning run and have the momentum to defeat Victor Wembanyama and his San Antonio Spurs. Many New Yorkers managed to get tickets to Frost Bank Center for both Games 1 & 2 despite the Spurs organization’s best efforts to avoid them.

Most of the city’s basketball fans have to watch from home. After watching Wemby miss the game-winning shot, they went ballistic. Clips flooded social media showing just how much they are enjoying this moment.

Despite the heavy presence of the NYPD, die-hard Knicks fans have already flooded the streets. That is why Smith did not want Donald Trump to come and add to that mayhem.

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