No, Spurs Fan Selena Gomez Didn’t Shade Knicks Fan Taylor Swift
Article excerpt
Selena Gomez's Instagram activity this week sparked online speculation that she was subtly mocking her best friend Taylor Swift's fandom of the New York Knicks. The furor erupted as the two celebrities' NBA allegiances collided during the Finals, with social media users reading shade into Gomez's posts. But according to closer observers, the Spurs fan wasn't actually taking aim at Swift, the internet simply connected dots that weren't there. The incident illustrates how quickly celebrity friendships get scrutinized through the lens of sports rivalries and team loyalty.
The New York Knicks made NBA Finals history in Game 4 on Wednesday. They came back from 29 points down to win and take a 3-1 series lead. The team did it in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden with Taylor Swift in attendance. There was also an incident during the Knicks radio broadcast that went viral on social media.
Monica McNutt called the pop superstar “not a Knicks fan.” However, she wasn’t aware that the microphone was on. Swifties fired back at the radio host and she received a lot o backlash for her comments.
MORE: Taylor Swift’s appearance at Knicks-Spurs Game 4 sparks mixed reactions
McNutt issued an apology to Swift the following day. She admitted that she “misspoke” and gave the 14-time Grammy winner a shout out.
“Swifties, I appreciate your passion,” McNutt said, via TMZ. “I said what I said. And here’s the deal, if I’m wrong, I am wrong, apparently, because she’s got an OG Amar’e Stoudemire jersey. … I misspoke. I did not know, but here’s the deal.
“I literally just did a piece on celebrity row. I’ve been with the organization for five years. I know these folks. Ben Stiller. His wife, Christine. Spike Lee. All of them. Fat Joe. I had not seen her here this year or last year, and we just saw her in Cleveland with her fiancé. Obviously, Travis supports the Cavs. She didn’t have on any Knicks paraphernalia, so I did not know of her Knicks loyalty. But shoutout to T-Swift. We can be united in orange and blue, like, it’s fine.”
Ben Stiller, Alana Haim, Este Haim, Taylor Swift and Mariska Hargitay react in the second quarter between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs during game four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Taylor Swift watched her 4th Knicks game live
Swift made headlines for attending Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. However, it wasn’t her first time watching New York play live. She and her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, were at Rocket Arena for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 23.
The 36-year-old has two other documented Knicks game appearances. She watched a regular-season game versus the Chicago Bulls at MSG in October 2014. Swift followed it up by attending another matchup the following month against the Orlando Magic.