Taylor Swift has sparked a debate among NBA fans after New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek questioned her loyalty to the team. During a candid interview with teammate Miles “Deuce” McBride, Kolek named the popstar as a possible example of a celebrity who attends games for appearances rather than genuine support. His comments prompted Swifties to defend the singer online.
Fans criticize Knicks star Tyler Kolek for calling Taylor Swift their ‘fakest celebrity fan’
The conversation took place during an NBA 2K League interview. The hosts asked Tyler Kolek and Miles “Deuce” McBride to name the most “fake” celebrity fan they had seen sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden.
Kolek first suggested that some celebrities attend Knicks games just to get noticed, not because they genuinely support the team. “At the Knicks games, I would say it’s very performative cuz like they just want to be seen at the game. They’re not necessarily fans,” he said.
He then mentioned Swift as a possible example, questioning how often she actually attends games. “Maybe Taylor Swift,” Kolek said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen her at any other games.” “I would agree,” McBride said before warning Kolek, “Yeah, Swifties are not going to like that answer.” Kolek acknowledged that the singer’s devoted followers might criticize him for questioning her fandom and admitted that his remark could attract backlash.
“I guess she’s got a lot going on, so she can’t come all the time, but…” he said. McBride quickly joked that Kolek was trying to take back his earlier comments. “He is trying to save his a**,” McBride joked. However, Kolek stood by his earlier opinion. “It’s a little performative,” he added.
Kolek’s comments quickly spread across NBA social media and Swift’s fan community. Many users criticized the basketball player for questioning the singer’s loyalty to the Knicks. One social media user wrote, “There’s nothing more fake and performative than trashing Taylor Swift for clicks. So lazy and unorignal.”
Another urged Swifties not to give Kolek attention, suggesting that he had mentioned the singer to gain publicity. “Swifties don’t engage,” the user commented, claiming Kolek is “just mentioning her name for clout. No one knows who he is. Taykarma will take care of it,” One more commenter wrote, “Seriously who is this again? Or who are they? I’ve seen Taylor in the court more than these people.”
