Selena Gomez woke up on June 12, 2026, to a flood of text messages from friends asking about her viral comment on Taylor Swift‘s Knicks game photo. The 33-year-old singer and actress quickly took to her Instagram Stories to clear the air after fans assumed she was throwing shade at her longtime best friend.
The drama started when MTV‘s Instagram account posted two photos of Swift, 36, celebrating the New York Knicks‘ historic 107-106 comeback victory over the San Antonio Spurs during Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, June 10. The first slide showed Swift hugging Mariska Hargitay, who looked exhausted after the intense game. The second slide captured both women jumping and cheering.
Gomez, a proud Texas native and lifelong Spurs supporter, commented “lol” under the post. Screenshots quickly spread across social media, with many fans believing she was laughing at her best friend’s courtside celebration.
The ‘LOL’ Comment Was About the First Photo, Not Taylor
Gomez addressed the confusion early Friday morning. She wrote on her Instagram Story:
“Woke up and was sent so many texts. I would never insult my friends, nor was it an insult. The comment was a reaction to the first slide on the page.”
The first slide showed Hargitay looking stunned as Swift wrapped her arm around her. Fans who saw the full post understood that Gomez was laughing at the Law & Order: SVU star’s surprised expression, not mocking her friend’s excitement.
The ‘All of a Sudden Fans’ Post Was About a Bet With Friends
The “lol” comment was not the only thing that got fans talking. Gomez had also posted a now-deleted Instagram Story on Wednesday night. She shared a screenshot of an NBA article with the text:
“Mad respect for the game!! Congrats to the peeps that represent. What a comeback. So funny how some are all the sudden fans though lol.”
Many online users thought she was aiming this remark at Swift and other celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner, and Timothée Chalamet, who also attended the game.
Gomez shut down that idea too. She explained that she had made a bet with her friends on the game. She supports the Spurs, while some of her other friends rooted for the Knicks. She lost the bet and was simply teasing her friends, who she called her “opponents.”
She wrote:
“Second I bet my friends on the game. The friends in the text chain I posted. I lost but was poking at my opponents, my friends. Believe it or not I do have other friends in my life. But quickly forget that most assume otherwise. also .. It’s a basketball game.”
Fans Rushed to Defend Selena Gomez
While some social media users accused Gomez of being jealous or seeking attention, many fans quickly pointed out that the assumptions were unfair.
One fan wrote: “She was talking about her family supporting the SPURS, not those who supporting to the Knicks. Y’all just make stuff up.”
Another added: “She was joking because her family (from TEXAS) and friends rooted for another team when she was a lone Spurs fan, but people already managed to write a whole fanfiction in their heads.”
Supporters also reminded others that Gomez never mentioned any celebrities by name in her posts.
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A Friendship That Goes Back Nearly 20 Years
The quick assumption that Gomez would publicly insult Swift surprised many long-time followers of the pair. The two singers have been close friends since 2008, when they bonded over both dating Jonas Brothers members.
Gomez recently shared on her husband Benny Blanco‘s podcast that Swift wrote the song “Dorothea” about her. She described their friendship as one where they have supported each other through “relationships to family to love to hate.”
Gomez is currently in London filming Only Murders in the Building. Swift was in New York for the game, which marked the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. The Knicks overcame a 29-point deficit to win.
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