Two Knicks Guards Question Taylor Swift's Team Loyalty

Two New York Knicks guards have questioned whether Taylor Swift is a genuine fan of the team. Asked who the least authentic celebrity Knicks fan is, Tyler Kolek replied "Maybe Taylor Swift," and Miles "Deuce" McBride said, "I would agree," according to Billboard.

The remarks came in a clip from a livestream of NBA 2K, the basketball video game series, posted to TikTok, the short-video app, by the account Deflected on Nov. 5. The two players were discussing famous people who attend Knicks games.

Kolek said fake fans "just want to be seen at the game" and are "not necessarily fans." He described Swift's fandom as "a little performative." In the same conversation, the pair praised actors Ben Stiller and Tracy Morgan for attending Knicks games consistently over the years.

Swift has been seen at the team's games this season. She attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals with actor Mariska Hargitay and the musicians Este Haim and Alana Haim, all wearing custom Knicks T-shirts. She also went to an away game against the Cleveland Cavaliers with her partner, the American football player Travis Kelce. Yahoo Sports reported that Kolek's comments sparked debate among NBA fans on social media.

Kolek is a guard for the Knicks, and McBride is a guard for the team as well. The comments were made as a light, joking exchange during a video game stream, and they were not part of a formal team statement.

For many fans, the argument comes down to a simple question: what counts as showing up? Some measure loyalty by how often someone attends, others by how closely they follow the games. The clip has put that question in front of a wider audience.