ESPN radio host Monica McNutt has apologized to Taylor Swift after accusing her of being a fake New York Knicks fan during her courtside appearance in the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.
Swift was one of several celebrities at the Garden for Wednesday’s showdown between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, which saw the hosts produce one of the greatest comebacks of all time to move to within one win of the championship.
The pop megastar, who was taking in the action alongside besties Alana and Este Haim, received a warm welcome on the night from the majority of the home crowd, who cheered when she was shown on the jumbotron for the first time.
But not from McNutt, who said live on air: ‘Is that Taylor Swift down there? She’s not a Knicks fan. Get out of here girl.’
A day later, however, McNutt has admitted she got it wrong.
‘Swifties, I appreciate your passion,’ she said to TMZ on Thursday morning in New York. ‘I said what I said. But here’s the deal, if I am wrong, and I am wrong apparently… I misspoke, I did not know.’
A Knicks radio host accidentally went viral at the NBA Finals for ripping into Taylor Swift
ESPN New York’s Monica McNutt (right) was heard telling Swift to ‘get out’ of MSG on the night
McNutt added that she hadn’t seen Swift at The Garden in a short while and thought she might be a Cleveland Cavaliers fan after she attended their game with fiance Travis Kelce – the Cavs are his hometown team.
‘I had not seen her here this year or last year,’ McNutt added. ‘We just saw her in Cleveland with her fiance, obviously Travis supports the Cavs.
‘I did not know of her Knicks loyalty but shout out T Swift, we can be united in orange and blue. It’s fine.
‘I did not know, apparently I am wrong. I apologize. It’s all good.’
A number of die-hard ‘Swifties’ inevitably went on the offensive, taking aim at McNutt for her swipe at their beloved singer.
One wrote on X: ‘always unfortunate when woman are bitter about other women for no reason’.
‘I hope this woman apologises for her unprofessional behaviour when she finds out Taylor is in fact a Knicks fan and has been since she was a teenager,’ said another.
A third commented: ‘“she’s not a knicks fan” yeah because you’re her best friend and you know everything about her’.
Swift and her group could not believe their eyes after witnessing an all-time great moment
The songstress was open-mouthed after the Knicks moved to within one win of the title
Swift was accompanied by her friends Este (R) and Alana Haim (L)
Swift soaked up the action at MSG without fiance Travis Kelce, who was unable to join her in the Big Apple while on a mandatory three-day minicamp with the Kansas City Chiefs in preparation for the 2026 NFL season.
She instead enjoyed a girls’ night at the Garden with her beau out of town – and it was one for the ages as the Knicks somehow fought back from 29 points down to leave themselves on the cusp of NBA glory.
She brought two of her closest friends to Game 4, with sisters Alana and Este – two thirds of the pop-rock band HAIM – taking up courtside seats next to her.
The trio were all wearing blue-and-orange T-shirts dedicated to the home team, with Swift’s reading ‘Stevie Knicks’ on the front in a clever twist on the Fleetwood Mac singer. Alana and Este, meanwhile, wore special ‘Knickole Kidman’ and ‘Knickelback’ tops.
A ticket to Madison Square Garden for Game 4 was the hottest in town. As of Wednesday afternoon, the cheapest were being sold for around $4,000 as the Knicks eye their first championship since 1973.
And in the end, those lofty prices proved justified after the Knicks carved out the largest NBA Finals comeback in history.
OG Anunoby tipped in the miss of Jalen Brunson’s long 3-point attempt with 1.2 seconds remaining to complete the rally, giving New York a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and three chances to win the title.
