President Donald Trump confirms NBA Finals attendance

President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will attend an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden next week after accepting an invitation from New York Knicks owner James Dolan.

He may possibly attend both Game 3 and Game 4 after accepting James Dolan’s invitation.

“The answer is yes,” Donald Trump said.

“[Dolan] has invited me, and I'm going. I'll be there. It could be Monday. Maybe I'll do both [Game 3 and Game 4].”

The New York Knicks are competing in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and currently lead the series 1-0 against the San Antonio Spurs ahead of Friday’s Game 2 in San Antonio.

Their 14-point comeback victory in Game 1 on Wednesday extended their winning streak to 12 consecutive games this postseason.

“The [Knicks] find a way to do it,” Trump said.

“They're really great, a great team. I'm happy for Jim [James Dolan] because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team.”

Trump also praised Spurs star Victor Wembanyama after watching Game 1.

“[Wembanyama] is a great player,” he said.

“He's going to be a great player. He's already a great player. I said, 'How do you guard this guy?' He's 7-foot-5 and has a great shot.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Trump would be “welcome” at Game 3, describing him as a longtime Knicks supporter and noting it would be the first time a sitting president attends an NBA Finals game during his tenure.