New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek faced a wave of online criticism from Taylor Swift’s fanbase after labeling the pop star a “performative” supporter of the team during an NBA 2K TikTok livestream.
Kolek and teammate Deuce McBride appeared on the now-deleted livestream on Thursday, where Kolek singled out Swift when asked to name the “fakest” celebrity Knicks fan, according to nypost.com.
“At the Knicks games, I would say it’s very performative,” Kolek said on the stream. “Because they just want to be seen at the game.
They’re not necessarily fans. Maybe Taylor Swift?”
Swift’s fans quickly pushed back online, reminding the guard of his zero-minute playing time during the 2026 NBA Finals. The pop star drew massive attention on Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden during Game 4 of the Finals, where the Knicks mounted a historic comeback win against the San Antonio Spurs on June 10, 2026.
Lexi Sousa, Kolek’s girlfriend, stepped into the comment section of Kolek’s Instagram post Sunday captioned “Tyler’s Version” to clear up any confusion regarding her own music tastes.
“Era’s tour attendee mind you !!” Sousa wrote with a white heart emoji, referencing Swift’s 149-show tour that concluded in December 2024. Sousa also shared a video clip of herself riding in a car while listening to the 10-minute version of Swift’s song “All Too Well,” writing that she was “back on my grind (passenger princess-ing).”
Kolek addressed the remarks on Saturday following the team’s 109-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“It’s just a question that was asked for me, that maybe I answered in the wrong way. Take that on the chin,” Kolek told reporters.
“I love her music. We were just playing it five minutes ago, and I’m singing every word to every song. Nothing against her at all.”
Kolek admitted he was unaware of Swift’s history attending games and wearing vintage team jerseys in the past.
i literally have this as the first thing in my bio but some of yall actually cannot read so let me make this clear: I'M A MOTHERFUCKING SWIFTIE AND I LOVE TAYLOR SWIFT!!!! if you hate her and make that your entire personality then my page is NOT a safe place for you!!!! LEAVE!!!!
The Knicks organization issued a formal statement Friday defending the singer’s long-standing connection to the franchise.
“Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years, has a long history with Madison Square Garden, and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organization,” the team stated.
Teammate Jordan Clarkson also jumped to Kolek’s defense on Sunday, posting an Instagram Story video showing Kolek singing Swift’s hit “Blank Space” inside the locker room.
“He apologizes… the kid is okay. He’s a Swiftie,” Clarkson wrote.
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