SouthernWorldwide.com – The presence of President Donald Trump at Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday night brought heightened security and anticipation, which was not welcomed by at least one of the San Antonio Spurs’ star players.
De’Aaron Fox expressed that Trump, who made history as the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game after arriving at MSG 40 minutes before tip-off, was “inconvenient for everyone else.” However, his head coach, Mitch Johnson, offered a contrasting perspective on the situation.
“No, I have not felt any inconvenience or – we’ve got a big game tonight,” Johnson stated during a pre-game press conference. “And we’re trying to continue to find a way to play closer to our standard and our identity than we had in the first two games.”
“There’s a lot going on, and I’d much rather be a part of it than not.”
The increased security measures, involving the Secret Service, TSA, and NYPD, significantly impacted midtown Manhattan around Madison Square Garden on Monday. A security perimeter was established around the arena, and fans fortunate enough to secure tickets experienced slow movement due to additional security checkpoints.
Fox had spoken earlier on Monday during the Spurs’ shootaround, admitting that his usual routine had been altered.
“We have, obviously, more security. We have to send things early. I think our buses are a little earlier.”
Fox also mentioned being “screened like it’s TSA,” with social media images circulating showing Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama being screened by security personnel before entering “The Garden.”
“It’s a little inconvenient for the people who have to play, but it is what it is,” Fox added.
When questioned about the appropriateness of the president attending the game, Knicks head coach Mike Brown did not provide a direct answer. However, he did comment on his own commute after the team secured the first two games of the best-of-seven series on the road.
“A lot of people text me all the time about this and that, and for me, my focus is just what’s next and what’s in front of me, and Game 3 is in front of us right now. I feel our group is that way too,” he said.
“Coming here, I stayed downtown because we were practicing here. So I stayed downtown at the team hotel. I’ve never done that on a game day before. But it’s easier because we’re practicing here, and so staying downtown and coming from our hotel to here was a shorter drive or a shorter commute than what I’m used to coming from Westchester County.”
President Trump has attended numerous sporting events since beginning his second term, including the Super Bowl in New Orleans two seasons ago, the Daytona 500, and the Ryder Cup.
