Sports

Max Kellerman Taunts President Trump After Knicks' Game 4 Win

Former ESPN star Max Kellerman couldn't help but take a jab at President Donald Trump after the New York Knicks won Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Trump attended Game 3 at Madison Square Garden and sat next to Knicks owner James Dolan for the majority of it. Kellerman's former ESPN debate partner, Stephen A. Smith, blamed Trump for New York's first playoff loss in over a month. He also accused the president of falling asleep in his MSG suite.

"The brother wasn't awake," Smith said. "Didn't you call out former President Joe Biden, ‘Sleepy Joe?' Well, what should we call you?"

One day later, Dolan fired back at Smith during an appearance on WFAN Radio.

"I was with him the whole time. We were talking the whole time. He was very much awake, he was very much engaged," Dolan said. "Look, that's the first sitting president of the United States to ever go to an NBA Finals. That's a huge honor – and he's a New Yorker. Whatever you think about him, he's a Knicks fan. I think he's a great guy. I've known him for over 30 years. Having him there was a great honor."

 Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; United States president Donald Trump looks on before game three of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; United States president Donald Trump looks on before game three of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.

Kellerman didn't address Trump's sleeping scandal at the NBA Finals, but he did point out that he's 0-1 at Knicks games this year.

"Trump shows up loss," Kellerman wrote on social media. "Wu Tang shows up win."

This post from Kellerman was obviously a nod to Wu-Tang Clan's halftime performance for Game 4.

Kellerman isn't afraid to call out the president.

During the Eastern Conference Finals, the former ESPN analyst said "bringing in James Harden to win a championship is like electing Donald Trump to fix your country." He later apologized for his comment about Harden.

"I shouldn't have said that because it's not fair to James Harden. I did not mean to insult him publicly in a way that was going to go viral," Kellerman said. "It was too severe. I don't think it's as bad as all that. I don't think it's as bad as electing Trump to fix your country but that's the idea. That's the opposite of what you'd do if you're trying to get a certain result."

It wouldn't surprise us if Kellerman taunts Trump again before the NBA Finals comes to an end.

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