NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants no part of Donald Trump ruining his NBA Finals experience

If Donald Trump really wants to head to Madison Square Garden for one of the Knicks’ NBA Finals games, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani won’t stop him. However, they won’t be seated together.

Speaking to TMZ DC, Mamdani said he’s “feeling great” about the Knicks, and he’s excited about the NBA Finals. He conceded that he’s unsure if he’ll make it to a game — he did, after all, pay his way into an Eastern Conference Finals game — but he’ll be watching.

Zohran Mamdani tells @jacob_wass he'd avoid joining Trump at a Knicks finals game pic.twitter.com/7k4hKa0HRj

— TMZ (@TMZ) May 28, 2026

“If the president went to a game, I’d let him — that’s his decision to make. If I go to the game, I’ll be doing so separately,” Mamdani said after being asked if he’d go “with” President Trump.

How does NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani believe Donald Trump will be received by Knicks fans during the NBA Finals?

New York is a city of polarizing opinions. The mayor was asked how he thought Trump might be received whenever he makes it to the Garden, and he toed the line without giving a definitive answer.

“New Yorkers, we are an unpredictable people. I think I’d make a fool of myself if I wanted to make a prediction,” he diplomatically said.

Lastly, Mamdani was asked about the ramifications of the Knicks winning a championship. He said that they’re currently “looking into an executive order to let the kids stay up late.” However, he wouldn’t say anything more than that.

The NBA Finals will begin on Wednesday, June 9. The first game in New York City won’t take place until Monday, June 8, though. Because the Knicks finished with a worse record (53-29) than the two Western Conference Finals teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18) and the San Antonio Spurs (62-20), they won’t have home-court advantage. Still, expect the Madison Square Garden crowd to bring the energy when the series comes to New York.

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