During a recent NBA Finals broadcast, ESPN’s Monica McNutt was overheard on a hot mic expressing doubt about Taylor Swift’s loyalty to the New York Knicks. McNutt remarked, “Is that Taylor Swift? She’s not a Knicks fan. Get out of here, girl.” Her comment attracted significant attention, especially since Swift has been a frequent attendee at Knicks games, including during their tougher seasons.
The reaction from Swift’s fanbase, often referred to as Swifties, was swift and critical. OutKick reached out to McNutt for her take on Swift’s fandom and why she ignored the singer’s consistent presence at Madison Square Garden. McNutt did not respond directly but addressed the situation via TMZ, acknowledging her mistake and offering an apology, “I misspoke. I apologize.”
Observers noted an apparent pattern in McNutt’s commentary, not limited to Swift. Previously, McNutt has also made critical comments regarding Caitlin Clark and her predominantly White supporters, questioning whether racial bias played a role in their support.
In discussing Clark, McNutt commented, “Caitlin represented, and again, some of this to me probably is not fair to her, because it was not anything that she said or was truly based on her personality, but she was a white girl from the middle of America. And so she represented a whole lot to a lot of people.” This line of questioning contrasts with the typical support shown by young Black girls for athletes like Serena Williams.
Compounding her controversies, McNutt was previously unaware of NFL icon Barry Sanders during an ESPN segment. She mistakenly associated a jersey worn by comedian Druski with Shedeur Sanders, rather than Barry Sanders.
These incidents have stirred conversation about McNutt’s views and comments as a sports analyst.