President Donald Trump said Monday that the NBA still "tends to be a little left-wing" but praised the league as "great entertainment" after attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.

Speaking with reporters outside Air Force One at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Trump was asked whether the NBA had moved away from the political activism that drew criticism from fans in recent years.

"Well, it's a little left-wing," Trump replied, according to The Hill. "Yeah, I think so. It tends to be a little left-wing, but it's great entertainment. It's great."

The president also dismissed suggestions that fans reacted negatively to his appearance at the Knicks-Spurs Finals matchup, saying the response inside the arena was overwhelmingly positive.

"I mean, I thought it was amazing, actually," Trump continued. "You mean when they had the camera on me? I thought it was very good. ... It was, I think, mostly cheers. It was loud and it was very enthusiastic."

Trump attended the game with his granddaughter, Kai Trump, and Knicks owner James Dolan. While some boos could be heard after the president was shown on the video board, cheers were also audible throughout the crowd.

The president's appearance generated significant attention ahead of tipoff. Security was heightened by the New York Police Department, and a planned watch party outside Madison Square Garden was canceled ahead of the game.

The appearance marked the first time a sitting U.S. president attended an NBA Finals game.

Some Democrat officials and commentators criticized the disruptions associated with the visit.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called the buildup a "vibes-killer" and said on Instagram: "There are just some things that –– you don't want to go either to jinx it or just in general. Sometimes the accommodations that are required for the security just for you to show up are not worth shutting down for other people."

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith likewise objected to the impact on fans gathering around the city for the Finals.

Responding to a post on X, Smith wrote that he has a problem when any politician "shows up, causes delays and interferes with these watch parties buzzing all over NYC."

"It's not political," he said. "It's about the @nyknicks and the vibe this city has going."

He added: "It's not about politics. Take that b.s. take somewhere else. Not today. Not now!"

Despite the criticism, the game drew a host of prominent figures from entertainment, business, and sports, including Ben Stiller, Larry David, DJ Khaled, Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Timothée Chalamet, former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.