Tyler Kolek might have underestimated just how seriously Swifties would defend Taylor Swift’s Knicks fandom. What began as a seemingly harmless answer during an NBA 2K livestream has turned into an inescapable scenario for the Knicks guard.
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After questioning Swift’s loyalty to the franchise, Kolek was forced to walk back his comments. But even an apology, a locker-room performance, and a public declaration of his love for her music weren’t enough to end the saga. His girlfriend eventually had to step in with some extra evidence.
Kolek took to Instagram, sharing a series of images he captioned “Tyler’s Version.” It was a playful nod to Swift’s re-recorded albums, which she released under the “Taylor’s Version” label.
But his girlfriend, Lexi Sousa, had perhaps the strongest evidence yet. Responding to the post, she commented, “Era’s tour attendee mind you !!” revealing that Kolek had actually attended Swift’s Eras Tour.
She also shared the comment on her Instagram Story, seemingly determined to make sure nobody questioned his fandom again.
The incident began on Thursday, when Kolek and teammate Deuce McBride answered questions during an NBA 2K TikTok livestream. When asked who the “fakest celebrity Knicks fan” was, Kolek singled out Swift. He suggested that her appearances at Madison Square Garden were more about being seen than supporting the team.
“At the Knicks games, I would say it’s very performative,” Kolek said. “Because they just want to be seen at the game. They’re not necessarily fans. Maybe Taylor Swift? I don’t know if I’ve seen her at any other games. I guess she has a lot going on, so she can’t come all the time. But it’s a little performative.”
The comments didn’t sit well, especially considering Swift’s history with the franchise. The singer has attended Knicks games over the years. She was even spotted wearing a No. 13 Knicks jersey alongside Carmelo Anthony in 2014.
The Knicks also came to her defense, releasing a statement on Friday supporting Swift and acknowledging her longstanding connection with the team.
Kolek, meanwhile, began walking back his comments. During the team’s practice on Friday, Swift’s music was reportedly playing in the locker room, giving the guard an opportunity to clarify where he stood.
Kolek stated that he probably knows more of her songs than any other Knicks player, emphasizing that he misspoke while calling Swift a fake fan.
He offered a more detailed apology on Saturday after the Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-97. The 25-year-old admitted that he had not been aware of Swift’s history as a Knicks fan and accepted responsibility for his remarks.
“People have been going back and sending me all this stuff about her coming to the games, and she was actually wearing a [No.] 13 jersey [of] Joakim Noah back in the day with Carmelo [Anthony]. That’s on me. I wasn’t up to date on my Taylor Swift Knicks fandom. So that’s on me,” Kolek explained.
He also made it clear that he had nothing against the singer, adding that he loved her music and had been singing her songs just minutes before addressing the controversy.
However, the damage control didn’t stop there. On Sunday, Knicks teammate Jordan Clarkson shared an Instagram Story video of Kolek singing Swift’s hit song Blank Space in the locker room. Clarkson appeared to come to his teammate’s defense, writing, “He apologizes… the kid is okay. He’s a Swiftie.”
Kolek went from calling Swift a performative Knicks fan to singing Blank Space and embracing the Swiftie label. He has certainly had a change of tune.
And while he has accepted responsibility for getting her Knicks history wrong, Sousa’s intervention suggests that his girlfriend wasn’t going to let one poorly worded answer define his relationship with the singer’s music.