Celtics star Jaylen Brown mocks Trump for falling asleep during NBA Finals: ‘Not surprised at that’

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Donald Trump made history on Monday, June 8, becoming the first sitting president to attend the NBA Finals when he took his seat at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs.

The Spurs' dramatic 115-110 victory over the Knicks wasn't the only storyline to emerge from Game 3, as Trump sparked fresh controversy after appearing to doze off during the Finals showdown.

While the moment caught many viewers off guard, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown appeared anything but surprised.

Jaylen Brown reacts to Trump sleeping

During a livestream from his trip to China, Brown reflected on the star-studded scene at Madison Square Garden, where celebrities packed the stands for the NBA Finals.

"They had everybody at the game. They had all the who's who, Jay-Z, Cardi B," Brown said, before adding, "I saw Donald Trump was there. He fell asleep. Not surprised at that."

Brown was not the only one mocking Trump for allegedly sleeping during the high-voltage game. Stephen A Smith fired back at the president during an intense 'First Take' segment after Trump's comment about him having a "low IQ" made him "laugh."

Smith also noted that streets across Manhattan were cordoned off to accommodate Trump's attendance, only for the president to allegedly spend part of the game dozing off.

"I'm not gonna accuse him of snoring because I wasn't in earshot. But the brother wasn't awake," Smith claimed.

"If it was that important for you to be there, why did you look like you were asleep? Didn't you call our former President Joe Biden 'Sleepy Joe'? Well, what should we call you? 'Cause you weren't awake."

Earlier in the episode, Smith blamed Trump for the Knicks’ 115-110 loss to the Spurs.

"Our president showed up in New York City last night," Smith began. "And needless to say, what I feared would happen ended up happening. The New York Knicks lost. And obviously, I'm blaming him."

Smith went on to share his view that Trump "disrupted our mojo."

"I've said this on many occasions over the last 24 hours, and I'm saying it again: The man messed things up," he continued.

Trump’s NBA Finals appearance sparks controversy

Trump's NBA Finals appearance made headlines for all the expected reasons, and a few unexpected ones. While the president made history with his visit, he also sparked controversy over several moments.

His appearance at the NBA Finals was drawing attention even before allegations that he had fallen asleep courtside began circulating.

Trump's arrival at Madison Square Garden was met with a chorus of boos after he appeared on the Jumbotron alongside Knicks owner James Dolan during the national anthem.

His visit also triggered extensive security measures, forcing some fans to endure waits of more than two hours, while protesters lined his motorcade route with signs reading, "Nobody wants you here" and "Trump must go."