Monica McNutt Reacts to Jalen Brunson's Support Amid Taylor Swift Drama
New York Knicks analyst Monica McNutt appears thankful she has the NBA Finals MVP on her side amid widespread criticism from Taylor Swift fans.
"King of New York, we good over here," McNutt, 36, wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, June 15, over a video of Knicks star Jalen Brunson defending her.
"I just want to say something to the Swifties: She's a really good one," Brunson, 29, said in a postgame interview on Saturday, June 13, as the Knicks celebrated their first NBA championship since 1973. "Cut her some slack. It's all good, I promise."
McNutt first sparked the Swifties' ire right before Game 4 of the NBA Finals when Swift, 36, sat courtside along with her friends, Este Haim and Alana Haim.
Stars including Spike Lee, Ben Stiller, Timothée Chalamet and Tracy Morgan have long been fixtures on Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden, but the Knicks' historic comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 was the first time Swift had appeared alongside them this season.
"She's not a Knicks fan," McNutt was heard saying on a live mic before the game began. "Get out of here, girl."
McNutt later clarified her comments during a Friday, June 12 episode of The Breakfast Club.
"Even if you call out race being super peace of mind, I'm just making an observation of what is happening," she said. "Quickly people were like, ‘Oh, you're racist.' No, I'm kind of stating a fact. But we have had to live in the fact and it makes everybody else uncomfortable. I didn't even remember saying it, y'all."
McNutt continued, "It was just like, ‘Oh girl, get out of here. I ain't seen you all year.' But words are powerful, the way the story gets told. All of these things come into play."
While Swift may not be a Knicks diehard, she has the support of two of the team's biggest supporters: the wives of Brunson, 29, and guard Josh Hart.
"She was there with her custom T-shirts. They're all matching," Brunson's wife, Ali Marks Brunson, exclusively told Us Weekly last week. "Sitting next to Mariska [Hargitay], how amazing is that? That's another dynamic duo right there. It was fun. She was really in it. She's a true fan."
Shannon Hart added that it was "really cool" to see how into the game Swift was.
"Jumping up and down, hugging each other," Shannon, 31, said. "[By the end], your heart's beating, you're in disbelief. It went from sitting there and everyone's quiet to now everyone's screaming. Even after the game, the guys were like, ‘How did that just happen?' They were in disbelief and they were on the court. It was pretty insane."
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 7:55 AM.