President Trump took aim at Stephen A. Smith after the sports commentator said he would blame the president if the New York Knicks lost Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Ultimately, they lost.
Mr. Trump appeared Monday at Madison Square Garden, complete with his Secret Service entourage and a chorus of cheers and boos during the national anthem when the camera panned to him.
Mr. Smith had already shared his superstition.
While co-hosting ESPN’s “First Take,” he said, “If they lose tonight? I’m looking right at him. I’m blaming him. I’m blaming the president of the United States of America if the New York Knicks lose this tonight. It is selfish.
“This is not the place for the president to be coming. He knows it. He just doesn’t care,” he said, adding that Mr. Trump had “no business” going to the game.
The Spurs won 115-111, cutting New York’s series lead to 2-1.
A no-bag policy and TSA-style screening procedures were implemented at MSG before Monday’s tip-off.
“There should be extra security for the president of the United States to be at a game, but I think the fans are very understanding of that,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Friday. “I think they recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event.”
Mr. Smith argued that Mr. Trump would cause an unnecessary stir with his additional security during the first NBA Finals game in New York since 1999.
The ESPN host, who has repeatedly teased the potential of running for president, added his opinion would not change if former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan attended the game.
“This is about an individual engaging in a level of narcissism that really rakes my freakin’ nerves. He’s got no business here tonight. It has nothing to do with politics,” Mr. Smith said. “It was everything to do with the fervor that exists around the New York Knicks, and he is disrupting everything the Knicks have been vibing with.”
After their loss, the president spoke with reporters before boarding Air Force One about Mr. Smith’s comment.
“I think he’s a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president,” Mr. Trump said. “You need a high IQ. I’m not sure that Stephen has that. I don’t think he does, actually.”
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