Ernie Johnson and Taylor Swift took a photo at Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Credit: ESPN Credit: ESPN
By Matt Clapp on

Taylor Swift was at Madison Square Garden for Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night, and star NBA host Ernie Johnson took a photo with her.

Naturally, this later caused quite the stir on Inside the NBA.

“I just became the coolest grandpa in the history of the world,” Johnson said, as Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Draymond Green chimed in with commentary at halftime on the ESPN on ABC broadcast of Game 4. “My grandkids are so excited.”

The Inside the NBA postgame show, after a mind-blowing Knicks comeback victory, closed out by revisiting Johnson’s photo with Swift.

After Johnson thanked Green for his work as a guest analyst at the NBA Finals while noting that the longtime Golden State Warriors star will not travel with the crew to San Antonio for Game 5, Barkley asked, “Y’all can’t afford him?”

“What do you mean ‘Y’all can’t afford him?'” Johnson responded.

“Ernie, you know you’re the boss around here,” Barkley said.
“I may not be the boss, but I did have a moment with Taylor Swift tonight,” Johnson said. “You could say I am the boss. This was a very special moment.”
The Inside the NBA production crew also photoshopped Johnson into a “Swiftie” meme for a Swift concert.

“You should see the thread of texts after I sent that to all my kids and grandkids,” Johnson explained.

“Ernie, you should ask for a wedding invite,” Green said. Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce have their wedding set at the same venue, Madison Square Garden, for July 3.

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.

He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.

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