During the third game of the NBA Finals at New York's Madison Square Garden, Donald Trump was greeted by a significant display of public disapproval. As the former president was shown on screen, a wave of boos swept through the arena, reflecting the sentiments of thousands of basketball enthusiasts.
The moment of the national anthem, performed by Broadway artist Avery Wilson, became a focal point. When cameras captured Trump saluting the flag, the crowd's reaction was overwhelmingly negative. While faint applause was audible on the ABC broadcast, it was largely overshadowed by the loud, derisive shouts from the audience.
The New York Knicks, spearheaded by their star point guard Jalen Brunson, are striving to achieve a commanding 3-0 lead against the San Antonio Spurs. Such a lead would put the championship series virtually out of reach, as no team in NBA Finals history has ever managed to recover from a 3-0 deficit.
The Knicks secured a convincing victory in Game 1 with a score of 105-95. Game 2 was a much closer contest, with the score tied at 104 and only ten seconds remaining. A crucial turnover and foul by Spurs' star center Victor Wembanyama allowed Brunson to convert free throws, giving the Knicks a one-point advantage. The Spurs failed to score in the final moments, resulting in them falling to a 0-2 disadvantage in the series.
This incident is not an isolated one for the former president. In late 2025, during the U.S. Open men's final in Queens, his childhood borough, Trump was similarly met with boos from the crowd, as reported by the Associated Press. His visible smirk in response to the public's reaction reportedly intensified the jeers.