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Every Celebrity Spotted at Game 3 of Knicks vs. Spurs NBA Finals

Ryan Phillips|
Spike Lee did an interview with ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” before Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
Spike Lee did an interview with ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” before Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals. | Via ESPN

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San Antonio SpursNew York Knicks

Madison Square Garden always brings out the stars, but Monday night has taken things to another level.

Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals is the first may feature the biggest confluence of celebrities outside of an awards show or the Met Gala. The Knicks have a gaggle of celebrity fans who attend almost every playoff game, and they’ll all be there, but things have been turned up a notch.

Monday night’s contest is the first NBA Finals game at MSG in 27 years. The home team also brings a 2–0 series lead over the Spurs, and a 13-game winning streak with it. The Knicks have a shot at history and their famous fans want to be part of it.

Here’s a look at all the celebrities who are attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Donald Trump

The biggest name and most controversial celeb attending the game, President Trump’s presence had a big impact on fans and media alike. The watch parties that typically surround Madison Square Garden during Knicks playoff games have been banned, while wait times to enter the arena for fans and media ballooned due to enhanced security measures. There will be a ton of conversation about Trump’s presence in the coming days.

Spike Lee

You knew he would be there. Lee was in San Antonio for the opening games of the series, and he’s in his usual courtside seat for Game 3. It wouldn’t be a Knicks playoff game without the Oscar-winning writer and director.

He’s also rocking a Pope Leo jersey, a nod to the Pope’s shared alma mater with the ‘Nova Knicks ...

Timothée Chalamet

Chalamet was in San Antonio for both of the Knicks’ wins in the first two games of the series, and it seems as if he’ll be at every game for the series. The franchise has never won a title during the 30 years the Dune star has been on the planet. As a die-hard, his dedication makes a lot of sense. He’s the face of the next generation of Knicks fans.

Josh Safdie

Safdie is sitting with Chalamet, who he directed in Marty Supreme.

Ben Stiller

Another celeb Knicks fan who was in San Antonio for the opening two games, there was no way Stiller was going to miss this one. The Tropic Thunder star is situated courtside as usual and will no doubt be one of the more intense fans in attendance.

Tina Fey

Tina Fey is in the building for Game 3. She has been spotted courtside multiple times this postseason, and she was seen in a personalized jersey walking in with Tracy Morgan on Monday night.

Tracy Morgan

Morgan has long been a courtside fixture at Knicks games, and this will be the biggest one he’s seen in person yet. It isn’t a game at MSG without the SNL alum and 30 Rock star. He’ll be in his usual spot for Game 3 and is probably in for a lot of camera time.

Chris Rock

Another fixture at Knicks games, Rock grew up in Brooklyn and has often been courtside at MSG.

John McEnroe

McEnroe is another New Yorker sho grew up in Queens. He’s sitting next to Chris Rock tonight.

Larry David

Larry David is in the building! Hopefully this doesn’t end the way his interaction with Shaq on Curb Your Enthusiasm did.

Mariska Hargitay

Hargitay has been to a ton of Knicks games and is courtside for Game 3. The Law & Order Special Victims Unit star grew up in LA, but is a huge fan of the team. Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is a huge fan of her show and the two have struck up a friendship.

Christopher Meloni

Hargitay’s long-time SVU co-star is courtside with her.

Jason Bateman

Bateman has been at several Knicks playoff games this postseason and is back for Game 3. The Ozark star is one of the team’s biggest celebrity fans.

Derek Jeter

Jeter was once Mr. New York and led the Yankees to five World Series titles. The 14-time All-Star and Hall of Famer had to be there for this game.

Eli Manning

Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories, so he’s New York sports royalty. It’s fitting that he’d be in the building for the biggest basketball game the city has seen in nearly 30 years.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z is also courtside tonight. He grew up in the Marcy Houses project in Brooklyn, before going to high school in Trenton. He used to own a minority piece of the Brooklyn Nets but has also supported the Knicks.

Fat Joe

The 55-year-old rapper is a Bronx native and one of the Knicks’ biggest fans. He attended the off-day press conference on Sunday and asked Knicks head coach Mike Brown about his shoes.

DJ Khaled

DJ Khaled is sitting courtside with Fat Joe. The 50-year-old rapper is a Louisiana native but has become a big Knicks fan after years of supporting the Miami Heat.

Zohran Mamdani

New York’s 34-year-old mayor brought the NBA Finals to the city in his first six months in office. Now that’s delivering for voters. Mamdani announced he spent nearly $1,000 on standing room tickets to the game. He’s there, cheering with the rest of the fans.

Jon Stewart

Stewart grew up on the Upper East Side and is a huge Knicks fan. He’s courtside tonight.

Patrick Ewing

Ewing is Knicks royalty, and led the franchise to the NBA Finals twice, in 1994 and ‘99. He was at both games in San Antonio and is in attendance Monday night.

Jeremy Lin

Linsanity is back at Madison Square Garden. The former Knicks guard, who set MSG on fire for a few weeks in 2012, is in attendance for Game 3.

Danhausen

WWE star Danhausen is at Madison Square Garden for the game. He had previously cursed the Knicks to spite ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, but after a fan paid him to lift it, the team has been on a roll.

More NBA Finals From Sports Illustrated

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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