Taylor SwiftThe looming 2026 NBA Finals sparked backlash from some basketball fans — but the New York Knicks player Jose Alvarado it’s about Swiftie mania.
Alvarado, 28, was told only Us Weekly on Thursday, June 18, that it was “amazing” to have Swift, 36, sitting courtside during Game 4 of the Knicks’ June 10 series against the San Antonio Spurs.
“That’s a surreal champion, and I was glad he was enjoying us,” the point guard said while promoting his partnership with Bacardi Rum during a post-show event at Tonita’s Caribbean Social Club in Brooklyn. “And again [she] it seemed like he was happy, and we won, for the best.”
Alvarado joked, “He should have come more often,” as Swift, a longtime New York resident, appeared to bring the team some luck after the Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit to beat the Spurs 107-106.
Taylor Swift and Mariska Hargitay at the NBA Finals.
Al Bello/Getty ImagesWhile Alvarado was cool with Swift coming to the games, he teased that he’s tying the knot with her Travis Kelcea fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers, can cause tension.
“The house [is] we will be divided, one will be the loser, and the other will be the winner,” he sneered.
Kelce, 36, proposed to Swift in August 2025, and as the couple prepares to tie the knot this summer, the Kansas City Chiefs were not by Swift’s side when he attended a Knicks game earlier this month.
Taylor Swift has no regrets about losing her voice at a New York Knicks game. “I came home and said, ‘You’ve got to stop yelling, you’re yelling too much, you’re yelling instead of talking, you’re happy,'” Swift, 36, joked during a speech at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York City. […]
However, Swift was not alone in the game. He was seen on the lower seats walking with his long-time friends Alana Haim, Este Haim again Mariska Hargitay.
The foursome turned heads throughout the game because they wore custom t-shirts showing their support for the team while honoring various celebrities.
Swift, for example, wore a “Stevie Knicks” shirt, paying homage to the Fleetwood Mac icon Stevie Nicks. (Harigitay, 62, wore the same tee.)
Este Haim, Taylor Swift and Mariska Hargitay.
Al Bello/Getty ImagesThe Haim sisters wore Knickelback and Knickole Kidman shirts, paying homage to the Nickelback band and the actress. Nicole Kidman.
After the Knicks’ historic Game 4 win, Swift found herself at the center of controversy as some fans, celebrities and sports commentators threw shade at her for taking the focus off the team.
New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson has a message for anyone still criticizing Taylor Swift’s appearance in the 2026 NBA Finals. “I want to say something to the Swifties: He’s really good,” Brunson, 29, said in an interview Saturday, June 13, after winning the NBA championship. “Cut him […]
“I’ll tell you that Taylor Swift is the one who treats me badly. Come on,” the actress Hank Azaria he admitted on the radio of June 11 of The Dan Le Batard Show. “I know he’s the biggest thing in the world, but we had to hang out with him throughout the NFL and now he’s in the Garden. Come on.”
Shannon Hartmarried to a Knicks player Josh Hartyou have only been told Us that Swift was clearly a fan, noting how invested she was in the group throughout the night.
“Just seeing how he got into the game, that was really cool,” Shannon, 31, said on June 12. “They were jumping up and down, hugging each other.”
Jose Alvarado at the New York Knicks Championship Parade.
Angelina Katsanis/Getty ImagesWhile the Haim sisters came from Los Angeles, Alana, 34, said Vogue on June 11 that he is also a Knicks fan. However, it was Swift who came up with the idea of making shirts to support the NYC team.
“I got a text from Taylor that was exactly what you want as a novice screen printer. He said, ‘I want to wear this shirt to the game, can you make it for me?'” Alana recalled. “And I said, ‘I thought you would never ask, this is my dream.’ Whenever I start a session with a friend, I go, ‘Let’s talk about fonts, let’s talk about sizes,’ and [Swift] he brought Stevie Knicks.”
The Knicks eventually won the NBA championship in Game 5, marking their first title since 1973.
“[It’s] something you can’t put into words,” said Alvarado Us after the historic win. “I’m a city kid, and I was able to see something that we haven’t done in 53 years, and it brings a lot of joy, and everyone together.”
This athlete added, “I am experiencing it [the victory] It’s the best feeling in the world, just to be a part of something where I can see people coming together and showing so much love and appreciation.”
