Knicks star sparks war with Swifties by calling Taylor Swift “fake”

New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek questioned whether Taylor Swift is a genuine supporter during an NBA 2K livestream on November 5. Discussing courtside celebrities with teammate Deuce McBride, Kolek labeled Swift as the least genuine attendee and called her appearances at Madison Square Garden "a little performative." McBride warned that the comments would provoke backlash from Swift's passionate fan base, known as Swifties.

The Knicks defended Swift's connection to the franchise, highlighting her history of attending games at Madison Square Garden dating back to 2014 and 2015. Swift recently attended Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals, wearing a custom "Stevie Knicks" shirt as New York completed a 29-point comeback victory over the San Antonio Spurs.