Former Washington Wizards forward Etan Thomas had a sharp message for New York Knicks fans after reports linked Donald Trump with a possible NBA Finals appearance at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks’ return to the Finals has already turned the Garden into one of the loudest stages in sports. Adding Trump to that environment would only make the atmosphere more charged.
Thomas’ message was written with sarcasm, not warmth. His idea of a “proper greeting” was clearly aimed at the reaction he hoped Trump would receive from a New York crowd.
Etan Thomas wants Donald Trump greeted loudly by New York Knicks fans
Etan Thomas on X reacted to reports that Donald Trump could attend a New York Knicks NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden, turning the possibility into a direct message for the home crowd.
“Dear Knicks Fans: If this does happen, and Trump brings himself to Madison Square Garden during the #NBAFinals, I hope you all give him the proper greeting he deserves.
“Don’t hold back #trump #knicks #maga #nbafinals #booooo,” Thomas wrote on X.
The final hashtag made the tone impossible to miss. Thomas was not calling for a warm reception, he was urging Knicks fans to make their feelings heard if Trump appears during the series.
Thomas has never been shy about mixing sports and politics, and his background gives the comment extra visibility.
He played with Michael Jordan during Jordan’s Washington Wizards stint, but his post was rooted in the present-day tension around Trump’s possible appearance in New York.
Donald Trump’s Game 3 visit would put New York Knicks crowd in spotlight
Trump is reportedly planning to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday, June 8, with the Knicks hosting the San Antonio Spurs in their first home Finals game in decades.
The setting matters because Madison Square Garden is not a neutral room. Knicks fans are loud, impatient, emotional, and fully aware of how much attention any crowd reaction would receive if Trump were shown during the game.
Trump has received strong receptions at some major combat sports events in New York, but a Knicks Finals crowd could create a different kind of moment. Thomas clearly believes the Garden should not treat the visit like a routine celebrity appearance.
The basketball stakes will still come first, with New York trying to protect home court in a series that has already taken over the city. Thomas’ post added another subplot before Game 3, because Trump’s reported presence would make the crowd part of the story before the ball is even tipped.
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