Swifties are rallying around Taylor Swift after Knicks radio analyst Monica McNutt questioned her loyalty to the team.
Madison Square Garden felt electric over the weekend, when the New York Knicks ended their 53-year title drought (June 13). After a tense 94–90 Game 5 win over the
San Antonio Spurs, Finals MVP
Jalen Brunson took a breath, soaked it in, and then did something small that mattered – he addressed the
Swifties.
"I just want to say something to the Swifties," Brunson
smiled into the mic. "She’s a really good one. Cut her some slack. It’s all good, I promise."
This moment follows a hot-mic clip from Game 4, when Knicks radio analyst
Monica McNutt, 36, was overheard asking, "Is that
Taylor Swift down there?" and then quipping, "She’s not a Knicks fan, get out of here, girl."
The comment ignited Swifties online, and McNutt later tried to smooth things over. Fans pointed out that words have weight and encouraged the radio personality to do her research before speaking out. Shortly after the backlash, McNutt issued a statement.
"Swifties, I appreciate your passion," she told
TMZ in an interview. "I misspoke."
The Finals have been a unifier for the city. Season-ticket fans, casual viewers, and celebrities in the stands are all feeding off the same electricity. Blowing up on a hot-mic remark about who belongs courtside was a distraction from what mattered…the team’s grit and the communal joy that followed.
The "not a fan" label really doesn’t hold up. Taylor has lived in New York for more than a decade. She bought adjoining Tribeca penthouses in early 2014, and she has a real, long-standing connection to Madison Square Garden. As a kid, she performed in a youth talent competition at MSG, a memory she’s often referenced when talking about the venue.
She also performed at the legendary venue a total of eight times – 1 show during the Fearless Tour (2009), 2 shows during the Speak Now Tour (2011). and 4 shows (2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019) for the Z100 Jingle Ball. Shrinking all that history into a throwaway one-liner felt unfair and bad reporting.
Whether you’ve followed the Knicks your whole life or just jumped on the bandwagon this season, that’s okay. People are hungry for something to rally around. For many of us , at MSG, watching from a neighborhood bar, on the subway, or at home on the couch, the real takeaway wasn’t the celebrity seats or a hot-mic clip. It was how the win brought people together.
Photo Credit: Ross D. Franklin / AP/ Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty
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