Knicks Guard Tyler Kolek Calls Taylor Swift the Team’s ‘Fakest’ Celebrity Fan

There might be some unexpected Bad Blood brewing on celebrity row after the New York Knicks’ postseason run.

During a recent TikTok stream playing NBA 2K, Knicks guards Tyler Kolek and Deuce McBride were asked to name the “fakest” celebrity fan they encountered during the team’s playoff run. Without skipping a beat, Kolek pointed the finger straight at global pop star Taylor Swift.

“Maybe Taylor Swift?” Kolek said during the stream. “I don’t know if I’ve seen her at any other games… It’s a little performative.”

McBride quickly chimed in with a laugh, agreeing with his backcourt teammate while anticipating the internet storm: “Swifties not gonna like that answer.”

Kolek tried to backtrack by contrasting Swift with Hollywood regulars who bleed orange and blue. “Everyone else is usually solid. Like Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan; I guess she’s got a lot going on, so she can’t come all the time,” Kolek added, prompting McBride to laugh and retort, “You trying to save your ass.”

McBride’s predictions appear to be correct as some fans of Swift did respond to Kolek’s comments on the stream. One user commented, “That’s crazy she [has] been there before Tyler was even in the team,” while someone else wrote: “Tyler wasn’t long enough to know Taylor was at a lot of the games when we were a losing team.”

Someone else commented: “Taylor has BEEN a Knicks fan and went for the first time 12 years ago.” Though some appeared to defend Kolek’s comments. One user wrote: “Finally somebody said it!!” while someone else wrote, “Kolek being straight up.”

Swift caught attention on the baseline during the Knicks’ playoff run, pulling up to Madison Square Garden with the Haim sisters while rocking a viral custom “Stevie Knicks” tee paired with leather shorts.

But the players aren’t the first ones in the arena to raise an eyebrow at her sudden fandom. During the postseason, ESPN analyst and radio broadcaster Monica McNutt caught heat over a hot mic moment questioning Swift’s allegiance in which Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson had to come to McNutt’s defense.