Follow-Up: Knicks' Kolek Walks Back 'Fakest Fan' Dig at Taylor Swift: 'I Just Misspoke, I Love Her Music'
New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek has walked back his livestream comment naming Taylor Swift the team's "fakest" celebrity fan. According to The Athletic, after the Knicks' 109-97 win over the Cavaliers in Cleveland on November 7, Kolek told reporters he had simply "misspoke," adding: "I love her music. I probably know more songs than anybody else in the locker room." GSM reported on November 6 on his NBA 2K TikTok livestream remark calling Swift "a little performative," after which the Knicks issued a statement backing Swift.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Kolek said people had been sending him material about Swift's long history of attending games: "And she was actually wearing a 13 jersey in one picture. Probably Joakim Noah back in the day with Carmelo Anthony. So I wasn't up to date on my Taylor Swift Knicks fandom, so that's on me." He added: "For me, it's just a question that was asked to me that maybe I answered in the wrong way. I take that on the chin. But 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."
A locker-room coda also circulated on social media: according to PEOPLE, teammate Jordan Clarkson shared an Instagram Story video of Kolek singing Swift's songs in the locker room, writing, "He apologizes, the kid is okay, he's a Swiftie"; Bleacher Report said the video showed Kolek performing songs including "Shake It Off." PEOPLE also reported, via Kolek's girlfriend Lexi Sousa, that Kolek himself attended Swift's Eras Tour.
The episode began on November 5, when Kolek and teammate Miles McBride, playing NBA 2K on a TikTok livestream, were asked to name the Knicks' fakest celebrity fan; Kolek named Swift, saying he had not seen her at other games and that her appearances were "a little performative," and McBride agreed. After the clip spread, Swift's fans pushed back in large numbers. The Knicks said in a November 6 statement: "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." Swift sat courtside for Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 10 wearing a custom "Stevie Knicks" T-shirt. Swift herself has not publicly commented on the exchange.
Source: The Athletic
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Photo: 图：纽约尼克斯队后卫 Tyler Kolek 资料图（Philip Romano 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons），非本次事件现场图。/ File photo: New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek (by Philip Romano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons); not a photo from this incident.
- 2026-11-06Knicks Guard Kolek Calls Taylor Swift the Team's 'Fakest' Celebrity Fan on a Livestream: 'A Little Performative'
- 2026-11-07Follow-Up: Knicks Back Taylor Swift After 'Fakest Fan' Remark, Citing Her Many Years as a Fan
- 2026-11-09Follow-Up: Knicks' Kolek Walks Back 'Fakest Fan' Dig at Taylor Swift: 'I Just Misspoke, I Love Her Music'This story
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