For decades, the best seats for Knicks games at Madison Square Garden have been filled with A-list celebrities.
Celebrities sitting courtside
There are, of course, the regulars: the directors Spike Lee and Ben Stiller, as well as the rapper Fat Joe and the actress Edie Falco.
But many other actors, musicians and other influencers have long shown up to make their fandom known, giving Knicks games the feeling of being the epicenter of the basketball world, despite decades of not winning a championship.
But it’s not just about basketball. Like Broadway premieres or New York Fashion Week, Knicks games serve as an opportunity for celebrities to flash status and style as much as anything else — like power.
President Trump, in a suite, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in the “cheap” seats, came to Game 3 of the N.B.A. finals between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
Trump in a luxury suite
The Knicks have leaned into their games as a magnet for the rich and powerful. During most games, the arena will put the celebrities on the Jumbotron for cheers (and sometimes boos) from the not-so-famous.
And then there are former Knicks players, who often come by: Patrick Ewing, Latrell Sprewell, John Starks, Carmelo Anthony and more. They typically receive deafening cheers from the crowd.
The celebrity factor has created some moments that are enshrined in basketball lore, such as when the former Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller memorably taunted Lee in the middle of the 1994 playoffs.
The N.B.A. finals has been no different for celebrity sightings at the Garden. And why not? They’re some of the only people who can afford the tickets.
