Charles Barkley calls out Sydney Sweeney after | Sports News

Charles Barkley did not maintain back when commenting on Sydney Sweeney’s presence at Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.

During Game 4 in New York, which noticed the Knicks mount a historic comeback to defeat the San Antonio Spurs, quite a few A-list celebrities confirmed up to witness the group transfer within one win of its first NBA championship in more than 50 years.

Taylor Swift was amongst these seated in movie star row, arriving on the enviornment together with her entourage carrying a customized Knicks shirt. The pop icon’s look at Madison Square Garden generated buzz throughout sports activities and media circles, with some questioning her motivation for attending. Meanwhile, Donald Trump has reacted to the Knicks successful the NBA Championship days after followers booed him.

After Game 5 closed the NBA Finals, a number of celebrities, together with Sweeney, had been seen at Frost Bank Center, prompting the outspoken basketball legend to weigh in on the Hollywood actress’s determination to show up in San Antonio.

“Sydney Sweeney is here? Everybody is a New York Knick fan now. Come on, man,” Barkley remarked during the pregame Inside the NBA phase on ESPN. The broadcast instantly cut to footage of Sweeney within the crowd sporting a Jalen Brunson shirt as she awaited tipoff for Game 5.

Barkley’s remarks observe comparable skepticism from ESPN’s Monica McNutt, who questioned Swift’s attendance at Game 4 after she was additionally noticed at a Cleveland Cavaliers versus Knicks matchup within the Eastern Conference Finals. Notably, Swift’s fiancé, Travis Kelce, is a Cavaliers supporter, having been raised in that area.

Upon recognizing Swift in New York, McNutt referred to as the 36-year-old’s allegiance to the group into query. “Is that Taylor Swift down there?” McNutt, 36, requested her broadcast associate, Knicks radio voice Tyler Murray.

Murray tried to {photograph} Swift, explaining, “It’s for my wife.” This drew a dismissive retort from McNutt, who fired back: “She’s not a Knicks fan, get out of here, girl.”

Shortly after her remarks, followers flooded social media to level out that Swift is, actually, a Knicks supporter, together with her loyalty stretching back to 2014, when she solid a reference to the group after spending time with former Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire on the Met Gala.

Speaking to TMZ, McNutt stood her ground whereas offering context for her authentic remarks. “Swifties, I appreciate your passion. I said what I said,” she started. “And here’s the deal, if I’m wrong – I am wrong, apparently – because she’s got an OG Amar’e Stoudemire jersey. … I misspoke. I did not know, but here’s the deal.

“Context: I actually simply did a piece on movie star row. I’ve been with the group for 5 years. I do know these people. Ben Stiller.

“His wife, Christine (Taylor). Spike Lee. All of them. Fat Joe. I had not seen her here this year or last year, and we just saw her in Cleveland with her fiancé (Travis Kelce).

“Obviously, Travis helps the Cavs. She did not have any Knicks paraphernalia, so I didn’t know of her Knicks loyalty. But shoutout, T-Swift. We could be united in orange and blue, like, it is effective.”