Sydney Sweeney caused an absolute online frenzy when she attended Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs wearing a white Jalen Brunson No. 11 jersey.
Sweeney, who also sat Courtside during Game 4 at Madison Square Garden alongside boyfriend Scooter Braun for the Knicks’ come-from-behind win, was met with a live, on-air reaction from TNT analyst Charles Barkley when she was shown on TV for Game 5.
The verdict from online audiences was immediately split.
Many fans of the Knicks were thrilled to welcome an “Euphoria” actress as a good-luck charm in the team’s bid for a championship, while others were skeptical about her claim to be a Knicks fan, as she comes from Washington state.
“YOU ARE FROM F—— WASHINGTON AND HAVEN’T BEEN TO A BASKETBALL GAME IN YOUR LIFE IM SO SURE YOU’RE A FAN,” one person said on social media.
People watching at other bars apparently felt differently. “People at the bar booed in unison when she came on,” said one person who watched on television.
Some observations of her appearance were just for fun. “Why is she wearing it backward, though?” another commenter inquired.
