Taylor Swift was courtside at Madison Square Garden when the New York Knicks pulled off an improbable comeback. They managed to scale the largest deficit in NBA Finals history. Decked out in custom merch, dancing with fans despite the tension, Swift was pictured having an absolute ball. But right before the game, a major controversy brewed online when analyst Monica McNutt called out the 14x Grammy winner on air.

Tyler Murray, who was also on broadcast duty, was curious and looked to click a picture of Swift for his wife. McNutt then bluntly claimed that the pop star was “not a Knicks fan” and asked her to “get out” of MSG. This remark went viral almost immediately, and a few hours later, the ESPN analyst apologized.

“Swifties, I appreciate your passion,” McNutt said with a smirk. “I said what I said, and here’s the deal: If I’m wrong, I am wrong, apparently, because she’s got an OG Amar’e Stoudemire jersey. I misspoke. I did not know. But here’s the deal, context, I literally just did a piece on celebrity row. I’ve been with this organization for five years. I know these folks… We just saw her in Cleveland with her fiancé [Travis Kelce]. Obviously, Travis supports the Cavs. She didn’t have any Knicks paraphernalia, so I did not know of her Knicks loyalty. But shoutout, T-Swift. We can be united in orange and blue, like, it’s fine.”

“There are pictures of the Amar’e Stoudemire era, that’s where the origin story is,” McNutt continued. “Shout out to her because that means she’s been in the trenches. I had just not seen her.”

“Nobody cared about this at all,” McNutt said of the noise online and whether any Swiftie approached her. “I know it was a big deal on the internet, but I was too busy enjoying the actual game.”

As McNutt stated, Ben Stiller, Spike Lee, and Timothée Chalamet have frequently occupied the front rows. In fact, it was the first time since 2014 that Swift returned to MSG, alongside the Haim sisters, Este and Alana. Swift owns a residence in NY and has a professional connection to the arena, having performed there 8 times. Her earliest performance at the arena dates back to when she was 12-13 years old at Madison Square Garden’s Kids Talent Competition.

Years later, she even wrote a song dedicated to the city, “Welcome to New York,” which appeared on her 2014 album, 1989. That’s when she attended the New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls at MSG with then-best friend Karlie Kloss. Just a few weeks later, she was courtside again during the Knicks-Magic game. She was also pictured wearing a No. 13 Knicks jersey (her lucky number) with basketball stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire.

In fact, Stoudemire is the reason Swift became a Knicks fan. During an interview with TIME magazine in 2014, the popstar explained that she became friends with the forward after meeting him and his wife at the Met Ball. She called them the “most normal people” at the event. The two of them were even seen having fun in Knicks practice, when Stoudemire lifted Swift to help her dunk a basketball.

So, just weeks prior to her wedding, rumored to be on July 3, 2026, at MSG, Swift paid tribute to her longtime musician friend Stevie Nicks with a custom “Stevie Knicks” T-shirt, a matching bow, and black jeans. Este complemented the moment with a playful “Knickole Kidman” top. Alana wore a “Knickleback” tee, all complementing the NY-themed spectacle as the Knicks faced the Spurs.

And since her previous appearance came more than a decade ago, it’s possible that McNutt missed it completely. Her frustration stemmed from the fact that just last month, Swift was at the Cavaliers’ Rocket Arena. And that was also the time when Swifties had a problem with another broadcaster.

Taylor Swift fans have had a tough time in recent weeks

New Yorkers were upset when Taylor Swift attended Game 3 of the ECF (Knicks vs. Cavaliers) in Cleveland courtside with her partner, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in May. But Kelce later insisted it was a “fun date night,” not a chance to “persuade Taylor into being a Cleveland sports fan.” During the game, however, she was trending again, not for her celebration, but because the broadcasters failed to acknowledge her by name.

When Swift and Kelce appeared on the jumbotron, Mike Breen said, “Travis Kelce and his fiancée, here at the game.”

Richard Jefferson then added, “Travis and his girlfriend are in the building; that’s always great to see.”

Now, Swifties strongly felt that the broadcasters should have addressed Swift by her own name rather than as Kelce’s partner.

But the power couple did not react to it back then. And neither has Taylor Swift even bothered to publicly react to Monica McNutt’s comments or apology. While it remained a hot topic for a while, the Knicks’ comeback win on the back of OG Anunoby’s tip-in was ultimately the biggest headline of the night.