JALEN BRUNSON DEFENDS MONICA MCNUTT AFTER SWIFTIE BACKLASH ... 'CUT HER SOME SLACK'

Published June 14, 2026 8:19 AM PDT

Jalen Brunson is making it clear he’s got Monica McNutt’s back after she caught heat from Taylor Swift fans during the NBA Finals ... and he has a message for the Swifties.

Following the Knicks’ championship-clinching Game 5 win, Brunson took a moment to address the controversy surrounding McNutt’s comments about Swift during the Game 4 broadcast.

Brunson, who was seen celebrating with McNutt courtside, bumped into her during the postgame excitement before turning his attention to the online backlash.

“You better be good to her,” Brunson said, smiling, before adding directly to Swift’s fanbase, “She’s a really good one — cut her some slack. It’s all good, I promise.”

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

The moment stems from comments McNutt made during the penultimate Finals game on the Knicks radio broadcast, where she appeared to question Swift’s allegiance while the pop superstar was sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden.

At the time, McNutt was heard saying, “She’s not a Knicks fan. Get out of here, girl,” in what sounded like an off-the-cuff remark during the live broadcast.

The comment quickly went viral, drawing backlash from Swift’s massive fanbase and sparking debate online over the singer’s Knicks loyalty.

Swift has long been associated with New York and has attended Knicks games over the years, though her fandom has recently been questioned due to her appearances alongside her fiancé, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, at competing NBA and NFL events.

We later got McNutt out in NYC where she addressed the situation ... walking back the remarks and clarifying she didn’t realize Swift had Knicks ties, pointing to past celebrity court side regulars and noting the competitive context of the playoffs.

She ultimately apologized to Swift and acknowledged the reaction, saying she didn’t intend to disrespect the pop star or her fanbase.

Despite the noise, Brunson’s message made one thing clear ... the Knicks locker room is standing behind McNutt as they take the NBA Championship title.