Sweeney's Heartfelt Tribute
Sydney Sweeney Marks Scooter Braun's 45th Birthday with Public Displays of Affection
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Key Points
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During ESPN coverage of NBA Finals Game 5 in San Antonio, Charles Barkley spotted Sweeney and reacted: “Sydney Sweeney is here? Everybody’s a New York Knicks fan now.”
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In New York for Game 4, the couple drew attention because they were seated near Taylor Swift, whose ongoing dispute with Braun over ownership of her master recordings has been widely reported.
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On Scooter Braun’s Second Thought podcast appearance, he not only described Sweeney as an “extraordinary woman,” but also said he was “catching” the latest season of Euphoria—adding, “I’m biased… I think there’s been an incredible performance by a certain actress.”
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Braun “dropped the L-bomb” during the trip home from San Antonio after the Knicks’ historic title win, telling Sweeney in an Instagram video shared by Steve Rifkind: “Syd, I love you and your family so much… You’re the greatest good luck charm for a New York Knicks and Jets fan in history.”
Sydney Sweeney celebrated Scooter Braun's 45th birthday on June 18, 2026, with personal Instagram Stories calling him "a man like you is once in a lifetime" and thanking him for "making me smile again." The posts included photos of the couple kissing and dancing, marking one of her most open public displays of affection since the two went public earlier this year. Yahoo
The birthday tribute capped a whirlwind two weeks in the spotlight. The couple attended two NBA Finals games together, drew cameras at Madison Square Garden, and were filmed on a private jet as Braun told Sweeney "I love you" after the New York Knicks clinched their first title in 53 years. Us Weekly
From Venice Wedding to Instagram Official in One Year
Sweeney, 28, and Braun, 45, first met in June 2025 at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's wedding in Venice, Italy, according to TMZ. They were spotted holding hands at Universal Studios Hollywood that September. By December 2025, sources told People the relationship had moved from casual to committed.
Sweeney made the relationship Instagram official on May 1, 2026, with a photo carousel from the Stagecoach Music Festival. On June 6, she threw Braun an early birthday party in Santa Monica with a basketball theme and a performance by Warren G, Page Six reported.
Braun Drops the 'L-Bomb' After Knicks' Historic Win
The Knicks beat San Antonio 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 — their first championship in 53 years. On the flight home, music entrepreneur Steve Rifkind filmed Braun toasting Sweeney. "Syd, I love you and your family so much," Braun said in the video. "You're the greatest good luck charm for a New York Knicks and Jets fan in history." Us Weekly reported the clip widely.
At Game 5 in San Antonio, ESPN broadcaster Charles Barkley spotted Sweeney courtside and reacted on air: "Sydney Sweeney is here? Everybody's a New York Knicks fan now." At Game 4 in New York, the couple sat three rows behind Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden — a detail that drew instant media attention given Braun's long-running dispute with Swift over ownership of her master recordings. TMZ
Braun Praises Sweeney's 'Incredible Performance' on His Podcast
On his Second Thought podcast, Braun called Sweeney an "extraordinary woman." He also admitted he was watching Euphoria Season 3. "I'm biased," he said, "but I think there's been an incredible performance by a certain actress." The comments were seen as a rare personal window into a man who spent years carefully managing other people's public images, according to Perez Hilton.
Braun retired from talent management in June 2024 after more than two decades guiding careers for Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. He now serves as CEO of HYBE America and hosts his podcast. Sweeney, meanwhile, ended a seven-year engagement to Jonathan Davino in mid-2025. Both were in transitional chapters when they met, People noted.
'Redemption Arc' or PR Play? Public Opinion Stays Split
Some outlets frame the relationship as a softer side of Braun. By calling him a "good man" who makes her "smile again," Sweeney's words shift the story from his 2019 purchase of Taylor Swift's masters — a $330 million deal he later sold to Shamrock Capital for $300 million — toward something more personal. Reality Tea and Perez Hilton both noted the narrative shift.
Not everyone is convinced. Some social media critics point to the 17-year age gap and the timing of their public appearances as signs of image management. The Taylor Swift "near miss" at Game 4 kept that controversy alive for a new audience. Still, industry sources told Us Weekly the relationship is now considered "the real deal" — and Braun has grown "emotionally invested" in Sweeney's career as a producer.
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