Add United States President Donald Trump to the growing list of Victor Wembanyama fans. Amid the New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals, Trump — a lifelong Knicks fan — gave kudos to Wemby.
“[Wembanyama] is a great player,” Trump told reporters, via ESPN’s Ben Golliver.
“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.”
Trump, who will be in attendance for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday, watched Game 1 and came away thinking the Knicks are “an amazing” team. The native New Yorker said he was happy to see his friend James Doland finally assemble a championship-winning roster after taking over the franchise at the turn of the century.
Trump Praises ‘Amazing’ Knicks
“I’ve been a Knicks fan for a long time,” he said at the White House on Thursday.
“And I’m also a Jim Dolan fan — he’s a nice guy. He’s been wanting to win an [NBA title] for a long time; he’s a competitive guy, and he’s got a team that’s amazing.
“I don’t think they’ve lost a playoff game. Can you believe it?” Trump said of the Knicks. “And it was not looking good — I saw the beginning [of Game 1 of the NBA Finals] but missed the middle as I was talking to generals.
“I watched the end of the game, and they were dominant. Really amazing,” he added.
NBA Welcomes Donald Trump
While Trump’s decision to visit MSG has sparked backlash from some Knicks fans, NBA commissioner Adam Silver called for “unity” and urged fans to welcome the POTUS.
“Before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan,” Silver said of Trump.
“I’ve been with the league for a long time. I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days. He attended many of our drafts when they used to take place at Madison Square Garden, and he actually appeared in one of our ‘I love this Game’ spots when I was running NBA Entertainment years ago.”
“I think sports in particular is something where we can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart,” Silver continued.
“It creates a sense of belonging. We’re seeing that in New York, and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker and I’m thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knick team.”
Trump told the media on Thursday that he may decide to attend both Games 3 and 4 at MSG next week as the Knicks inch closer to their first NBA championship since 1973. Meanwhile, the Knicks will try to keep their 12-game winning streak alive on Friday night after stealing home-court advantage in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Donald Trump Drops True Feelings on Victor Wembanyama Amid NBA Finals