Michael Wilbon Disagrees With Stephen A. Smith's Game 3 Complaint

Michael Wilbon and Stephen A. Smith don't agree on President Trump's decision to attend Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals.

The Knicks, up 2-0 on the Spurs, return home to Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The arena is expected to be packed. And the President of the United States is expected to be in attendance.

President Trump's presence at the game is causing a headache for Knicks fans. Watch parties are being cancelled, security is being tightened and lines are expected to be long.

Smith, a lifelong Knicks fan, is not happy.

"He's coming to Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and I don't want him there," Smith said. "It has nothing to do with politics, policy, or anything like that. It has everything to do with him disrupting and contributing at the same time to the chaos that's going to be existing at Madison Square Garden."

Smith said he would say the same to all politicians.

"If it were Barack Obama coming to the Garden, I would say, ‘Stay home.' Stay at the White House… I have been covering sports for over 30 years. And I'm telling you right now, come Monday, for Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, I expect to see an environment I have never seen in my entire career covering sports."

Wilbon, meanwhile, disagrees

The longtime Washington Post columnist and ESPN star disagrees with Smith. Wilbon says that Donald Trump is the President of the United States. He can do whatever he wants.

If President Trump, who grew up in New York, wants to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals, he should, Wilbon says.

"He's the President, he can!" Wilbon, who said he's independent, argued.

Wilbon also pointed out that Bill Clinton attended a Wizards game featuring Michael Jordan in Washington, D.C.

"I'm just saying!"

Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals is set for Monday night at 8:30 p.m. E.T. on ABC.

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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 9:34 AM.