Swifties are coming after New York Knicks point guards Tyler Kolek and Miles McBride after the two publicly questioned Taylor Swift’s courtside fandom.
During an NBA 2K League livestream posted on YouTube on Thursday, Kolek and McBride were asked to name “the fakest celebrity fan you’ve seen sitting courtside in an NBA game,” and both went with the global pop star.
“At the Knicks games, I would say it’s very performative because, like, they just want to be seen at the game. They’re not necessarily fans. Probably Taylor Swift,” Kolek answered.
“I would agree,” McBride said.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen her at any other games,” Kolek continued.
McBride added that “everybody else is usually solid,” citing actor-comedian Ben Stiller and Tracy Morgan as examples.
The pair immediately acknowledged, however, that “Swifties not gonna like that answer,” with Kolek joking he’s gonna get “some hate” from the fanbase.
Swifties to the rescue
And indeed, the Swifties delivered what was expected of them — defending the award-winning artist with their keyboards.
“(Taylor Swift) has been to games before he was on the team,” one commented on YouTube, referring to 25-year-old Kolek, who joined the Knicks in 2024.
“She’s drawing attention to your sports, bro. No need to be rude and arrogant about it.”
“Sorry, who is Tyler Kolek again?” another one said.
Reactions from Swift’s supporters spread across the internet, as sports and lifestyle news outlets made headlines about Kolek’s response.
“Anyone with a Google and a memory knows she’s been going to the games for a very long time, even when they sucked,” a Facebook user commented on a Page Six report.
“Did he (Kolek) ever stop to think how busy she is as an artist and that she doesn’t have all the time in the world to go to every single game?” another one wrote under a People magazine article.
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Knicks weighs in
In a statement issued November 6, Friday, a spokesperson for the New York Knicks also spoke in defence of Swift, calling the superstar “a Knicks fan for many years.”
“(She) has a long history with Madison Square Garden (MSG), and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organisation,” the statement said, as quoted by BBC.
MSG is where the Knicks play their home games. Swift performed here for the “Fearless” tour in 2009 and “Speak Now” in 2011.
She also married her husband, Travis Kelce, at MSG in July this year, in a star-studded ceremony officiated by actor Adam Sandler.
The Pennsylvania-born talent was among the Hollywood figures seen wearing “Stevie Knicks” T-shirts at the MSG courtside during Game 4 of the NBA Finals in June, sitting alongside fellow musicians Este Haim and Alana Haim and actor Mariska Hargitay.
Records show that Swift’s fandom of the Knicks stretches back to 2003, when she performed her unreleased original song “Lucky You” during a halftime talent contest at the age of 13.
In 2014, she was seen attending a New York Knicks game with Chicago Bulls and a matchup against the Orlando Magic.
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