The New York Knicks are standing up for Taylor Swift after one of their own players, Tyler Kolek, described the superstar as a performative fan of the team.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, a Knicks spokesperson said, "Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years, has a long history with Madison Square Garden and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organization."
Kolek's remarks came earlier this week during an NBA 2K TikTok livestream with Knicks teammate Miles McBride. When McBride asked him to name the "fakest celebrity Knicks fan," Kolek pointed to Swift, arguing that some famous faces show up at games more for the spotlight than out of loyalty to the team.
"At the Knicks games, I would say it's very performative. Because they just want to be seen at the game; they're not necessarily fans," he said. "Maybe Taylor Swift?"
"I don't know if I've seen her at any other games," Kolek added. "I guess she's got a lot going on, so she can't come all the time, but it's a little performative."
The comments drew a reaction Friday from someone close to Kolek himself. His girlfriend, Alexi Sousa, addressed the controversy in a TikTok post, writing, "Me (a swiftie) waking up next to Tyler & seeing what he had to say about my girl," and adding, "My favorite celeb Knicks fan btw."
Swift has in fact turned up at Knicks games on multiple occasions. In June she sat courtside for Game 4 of the NBA Finals wearing a "Stevie Knicks" T-shirt, joined by friends Alana Haim, Este Haim and Mariska Hargitay. She also attended Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals alongside Travis Kelce when the Knicks faced the Cavaliers.
Her ties to Madison Square Garden stretch well beyond basketball. Swift has played sold-out concerts at the arena and first performed there when she was 13 years old. In July, she and Kelce were married at MSG in front of a star-studded guest list.
