Taylor Swift found herself at the centre of an unexpected NBA row this week after New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek branded her the “fakest” celebrity fan of the team during a live stream, according to reports.
Kolek was taking part in an NBA 2K TikTok livestream when he was asked to name the least genuine celebrity supporter of the Knicks. He picked Swift, calling her support “a little performative”, while admitting he was not sure he had seen her at many games. The clip spread quickly, and the backlash arrived just as fast.
Knicks defend their famous fan
The Knicks organisation moved swiftly to defend Swift. A team spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter that Swift “has been a Knicks fan for many years” and that the club is “incredibly appreciative of her support”. The statement pointed to her long history with Madison Square Garden, where she has been a regular courtside presence for years.
The record backs the team up. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Swift sat courtside at Game 4 of the NBA Finals in June, wearing a “Stevie Knicks” T-shirt alongside Alana Haim, Este Haim and Mariska Hargitay. She has attended Knicks games for more than a decade, long before her current fame peak.
His own girlfriend disagreed
The twist came from much closer to home. Kolek’s girlfriend, Alexi Sousa, publicly disagreed with him, calling Swift her “favourite celeb Knicks fan” on TikTok. In a separate post she wrote that she was an Eras Tour attendee, and she shared a photo of Swift’s “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” playing in her car.
By Friday, both his team and his girlfriend had publicly contradicted him, according to reports. Swift herself has not responded, and Kolek has not walked the comment back publicly. The New York Post reported that Kolek later explained he had not known the depth of her Knicks following, and he has since apologised to Swift fans in what some outlets described as true Swiftie fashion.
The episode is a reminder of how quickly a throwaway livestream comment can travel, and how Swift’s fanbase — and, in this case, a player’s own partner — can turn the story around within days.
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