Tyler Kolek owns up to Taylor Swift fan comment that earned him some fun Knicks ribbing

CLEVELAND — The visitors locker room sounded like a Sweet 16.The setlist opened with “Shake It Off,” followed by “You Belong With Me,” “Style” and “Bad Blood.”The Knicks — led by DJ Jalen Brunson — were partying like it was “1989.”Tyler Kolek — who this week questioned Taylor Swift’s Knicks fandom during an NBA 2K League livestream — may never, ever, ever hear the end of it from Swifties, but the second-year guard was hoping to make amends with one of the world’s biggest stars following the Knicks’ 109-97 win over the Cavaliers.Kolek had labeled Swift the fakest celebrity Knicks fan on the bandwagon during their title run, calling the musician “performative” after she attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.“It’s just a question that was asked for me, that maybe I answered in the wrong way.Take that on the chin,” Kolek said Saturday night.

“I love her music.We were just playing it five minutes ago, and I’m singing every word to every song.

Nothing against her at all.“People have been going back and sending me all this stuff about her coming to the games, and she was actually wearing a [No.] 13 jersey [of] Joakim Noah back in the day with Carmelo [Anthony].That’s on me.

I wasn’t up to date on my Taylor Swift Knicks fandom.So that’s on me.”The previous day, the Knicks put out a statement in support of Swift, whose wedding to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was held at the Garden this summer.“Taylor Swift has been a Knicks fan for many years, has a long history with Madison Square Garden, and we are incredibly appreciative of her support of the organization,” a Knicks spokesperson said.The Knicks returned to Cleveland for the first time since the Eastern Conference finals, when Swift attended Game 3 at Rocket Arena with Kelce — an Ohio native — and was seen cheering for the Cavaliers.When Kolek called out Swift in the video with teammate Deuce McBride, he acknowledged he was “goi...