Stephen A Smith Mocks Trump's Appearance at MSG After Knicks Fall in Game 3

ESPN's Stephen A Smith came out swinging on First Take the morning after the New York Knicks dropped Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden, directing his fire squarely at President Donald Trump. The Spurs won 115-111 on Monday night, ending New York's 13-game postseason winning streak and cutting the series deficit to 2-1.

Smith had made his prediction plain before tip-off. 'If they lose tonight? I'm looking right at him. I'm blaming him. I'm blaming the President of the United States of America if the New York Knicks lose this tonight,' he said on First Take on 9 June. The Knicks lost. And Smith made good on his word.

'The Brother Wasn't Awake'

Footage showed Trump with his eyes closed during portions of the game, and Smith seized on the clips. 'The brother wasn't awake. If it was that important for you to be there, why did you look like you were asleep? Didn't you call out former President Joe Biden, "Sleepy Joe"? Well, what should we call you?' Smith said on 'First Take'.

Smith also turned his attention to the economic disruption Trump's visit caused for local businesses and fans. 'I thought you were about making money for people? What happened to the parking garages? How much money did they make? What happened to the local restaurants? How much money did they make?' he asked pointedly.

Security Chaos Outside MSG

Trump's attendance was historic — he became the first sitting United States president to attend an NBA Finals game. But it came at a considerable cost to fans. A no-bag policy and TSA-style screening procedures were implemented at MSG before Monday's tip-off. Watch parties that had been planned outside the arena were cancelled entirely, and streets around Midtown Manhattan were blocked off by the Secret Service and the New York Police Department.

Trump watched the game from owner James Dolan's suite. He received loud boos when shown on the Jumbotron during the national anthem, a reaction he later described as 'mostly cheers.'

Trump Hit Back First

The exchange did not begin with Smith. After the final buzzer, Trump took aim at the ESPN analyst's intelligence and his since-abandoned interest in a presidential run. 'I think he's a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ. I don't really think Stephen A Smith has that,' Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One.

Smith had publicly considered entering the Democratic primary before ruling it out in March 2026, citing his large media contracts. 'Let me put my presidential aspirations to bed,' Smith told Sean Hannity. 'If I have to give up my money, it's not happening.'

Knicks Host Game 4 as Trump Rules Out Return to MSG

On the court, Victor Wembanyama scored 32 points and Stephon Castle added 23, including a clutch three-pointer with less than two minutes left and game-clinching free throws with six seconds remaining to seal the Spurs' win. The Knicks, who still lead the series 2-1, host Game 4 at MSG on Wednesday, 10 June.

Trump had initially hinted he may attend Game 4 as well, but ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the president is not expected to show up at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday 'due to scheduling conflicts and obligations.'

Trump's presence at Game 3 made history, but it also reignited a long-running tension between sports media and political spectacle. With the Knicks chasing their first NBA championship since 1973, the off-court noise risks overshadowing one of the most compelling Finals storylines in a generation. Smith's public rebuke reflects a broader debate about where sport ends and politics begins — a line that, at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, all but disappeared.