The New York Knicks were the hottest ticket in town during the NBA Finals, with Taylor Swift among the biggest names to flock to Madison Square Garden.

Swift cheered on the Knicks in Game 4 of their famous series culminating in a historic NBA Championship.

She saw an unforgettable 29-point comeback against the San Antonio Spurs, sitting courtside alongside Alana and Este Haim, where they were animated figures during the rollercoaster game months before she returned to the same venue to get married. 

Swift also watched the Knicks with Travis Kelce in the Eastern Conference Finals in his hometown against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Prior to that, Swift attended some Knicks games back in 2014, in the city she has called home for a number of years.

Despite that, some of the Knicks themselves are clearly not convinced by her fandom, especially compared to other celebrity fans who are regular fixtures at courtside, such as Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan and Spike Lee.

Taylor Swift was branded the ‘fakest celebrity Knicks fan’ by two of their current players

Swift was courtside for Game 4 of the Knicks’ unforgettable NBA Finals series last season

Appearing on the NBA 2K League’s Deflected show, Tyler Kolek and Miles ‘Deuce’ McBride were asked: ‘Who is the fakest celebrity Knicks fan?’

Kolek replied: ‘At the Knicks games, I would say it’s very performative. Because like they just want to be seen at the game. They’re not necessarily fans.

‘Maybe Taylor Swift?’ he concluded as McBride nodded his head and replied: ‘I would agree.’

Kolek continued: ‘I don’t know if I’ve seen her at any other games…’ as McBride interjected: ‘Yeah. Swifties [are] not gonna like that answer.’

Kolek agreed, adding: ‘Yeah nah, the Swifties, I’m gonna get some hate from the Swifties.’

McBride said: ‘Everybody else is usually solid. Like Ben Stiller, Tracy (Morgan), like those are legit.’

Kolek continued on Swift: ‘I guess she’s got a lot going on so she can’t come all the time. But it’s a little performative.’

In a statement to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for the Knicks 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.’

Knicks announcer Monica McNutt faced enormous backlash while covering the game which Swift attended as she said: ‘She’s not a Knicks fan. Get out of here, girl.’

Knicks player Tyler Kolek picked Swift and called out ‘performative’ behavior at games

Teammate Miles McBride nodded along in agreement but noted Swifties would not be happy

Swift also watched the Knicks against her husband’s team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in May

Star Knicks guard Jalen Brunson later defended her from the wave of hate she received from Swift’s fans, concluding his locker room interview with McNutt in the locker room celebrations with a reference to the incident. 

‘I just want to say something to the Swifties,’ Brunson told MSG Sports. ‘She’s a really good one. Cut her some slack. It’s all good. I promise.’

McNutt later addressed her comments to TMZ Sports, saying: ‘I said what I said, and here’s the deal if I’m wrong, I am wrong apparently, because she’s got an OG Amar’e Stoudemire jersey.

‘I misspoke, I did not know, but here’s the deal. Context: I literally just did a piece on celebrity row (at Madison Square Garden). I’ve been with this organization for five years. I know these folks.

‘Ben Stiller, his wife Christine, Spike Lee, Fat Joe. Like, I had not seen her here this year or last year and we just saw her in Cleveland with her fiance. Obviously, Travis (Kelce) supports the Cavs. 

‘She didn’t have on any Knicks paraphernalia. So I did not know of her Knicks loyalty. …T-Swift, we could be united in orange and blue. Like, it’s fine.’

The day after being at Madison Square Garden for the game, Swift attended the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York, where President of Universal Music Publishing, Evan Lamberg, was overheard thanking her for her support.  

‘Thank you for our Knicks good luck, think you won the game for them,’ Lamberg said.

‘Oh my gosh, you know what I did what I can, just gotta keep the energy up,’ Swift said with a laugh. ‘Never a doubt!’.