Obama Admitted He Avoided Attending NBA Games to Prevent 'Massive Disruption' in Resurfaced Comments — As Trump's Plans to Attend Finals Cause Outrage

Donald Trump's decision to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York has caused planning nightmares and chaos for police officers and fans attending the game.

And RadarOnline.com can reveal one of Trump's presidential predecessors warned that this was going to happen.

Four years before Trump took office for his first term, President Barack Obama was a well-known mega fan of basketball and the NBA, famously transforming the White House tennis court on the South Lawn into a multi-functional full basketball court in 2009.

Yet, during his time in office, Obama purposely avoided high-profile events and games, specifically the NBA Finals, and for that reason.

In a newly resurfaced podcast from Obama's sit-down with sports journalist Bill Simmons, Obama explained why, despite attending other regular-season NBA games, he stayed home for the Finals.

"The challenge is that my motorcade and the Secret Service and the whole bit is such a massive disruption to the arena and to fans that I'm always worried that, rather than me just being able to enjoy the game, I'm actually making it a less pleasant experience for everybody else," the former president stated at the time.

That was a sacrifice celebrated by fans online, who ripped the current commander-in-chief for his attendance at Madison Square Garden tonight.

"I miss having common sense in the White House," one person posted on Reddit as another tacked on, "Not to mention (Obama) was an actual fan and not someone just trying to gobble up attention."

One user railed, "We are closing down the Knicks' biggest run in 50 f--king years for this bum? Are we serious?"

While one person wondered, "What are the odds that Trump leaves early? He doesn't care about the game, and he doesn't know s--t about basketball. All he knows is that the TV ratings are going to be big."

Fans aren't the only ones hoping Trump stays home. ESPN loudmouth Stephen A. Smith argued the visit could overshadow the excitement surrounding the New York Knicks' championship run.

And he would say that to any president, regardless of party affiliation: "If it were Barack Obama coming to the Garden, I would say, 'Stay home.' Stay at the White House."

Smith turned his attention to Trump's travels, saying: "He's coming to Game three of the Finals, and I don't want him there."

"It has nothing to do with politics, policy, or anything like that," he said. "It has everything to do with him disrupting and contributing at the same time to the chaos that's going to be existing at Madison Square Garden."

Throughout the day, more political pundits urged the president to get comfy at home. Even conservative firebrand Ann Coulter accused the president of creating unnecessary chaos for fans, taxpayers, and law enforcement.

"Of all the selfish, narcissistic things Trump has done, attending MSG to see the Knicks play in person Monday night is the absolute worst," she wrote on X.

The conservative pundit argued thousands of basketball fans would bear the brunt of the president's visit.

"20,000 attendees will be MASSIVELY inconvenienced for all the extra security," Coulter claimed, later adding, "Thousands of extra law enforcement officers will be required (paid for by taxpayers), traffic will be a disaster – all so he can sit in the Garden rather than watch the game on TV.

"Presidents ought to be willing to sacrifice once in a while."