Knicks accept Trump White House invitation, Dolan says

The New York Knicks plan to visit President Donald Trump at the White House after winning the NBA championship, team owner James Dolan said Wednesday, setting up what would be the first visit by NBA champions during Trump’s time in office.

“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said during an appearance on WFAN New York. “We still have to figure out the details, et cetera.”

Dolan said he welcomed the opportunity. “Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House,” he said.

A White House official confirmed the invitation to CBS News, saying, “We have been in touch with the Knicks and look forward to hosting the team at a date to be determined in the near future.”

It is not yet clear when the visit will take place or which Knicks players will attend. CBS News reported it is unclear whether any players will choose to stay home. The Guardian reported that attendance could be a question for some players, noting that forward Josh Hart celebrated Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory by calling Trump a “dumbass” on social media, while center Mitchell Robinson is a registered Republican and described Trump’s visit to Madison Square Garden as “cool, I guess.”

Trump, a longtime Knicks fan and personal friend of Dolan, attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals last week at Madison Square Garden. The Guardian reported that he was greeted with boos and jeers when shown on the jumbotron. The Knicks lost that game to the San Antonio Spurs, their only loss of the series, before winning the next two games and clinching the Larry O’Brien Trophy in San Antonio over the weekend.

The championship was the Knicks’ first in more than half a century, according to CBS News. After the title win, Trump praised the team, Dolan and “superstar” point guard Jalen Brunson in a Truth Social post, calling the championship “maybe the greatest in the history of basketball.”

Championship teams in major U.S. sports have long been invited to the White House, but NBA visits became politically fraught during Trump’s first term. In 2017, Trump uninvited the Golden State Warriors after star Stephen Curry hesitated to accept what Trump called a “great honor.” The Warriors were not invited after winning again in 2018. The Guardian reported that the Warriors had visited during Barack Obama’s presidency and returned to the White House under Biden after their 2022 title.

The 2019 champion Toronto Raptors, based in Canada, did not visit while Trump was in office. The Guardian reported that Raptors players ruled out a trip before an invitation had been offered. The 2020 Los Angeles Lakers did not visit during Biden’s presidency because of pandemic health and safety protocols, according to The Guardian; CBS News reported that Trump had previously said he would not invite Lakers star LeBron James.

CBS News reported that last year’s champion Oklahoma City Thunder did not visit the White House because of a “timing” issue. The Guardian also reported that the Thunder did not visit for that reason, and said the last NBA champions to make a White House trip were the Boston Celtics in 2024 during Biden’s presidency.

Teams from other sports have continued to visit the White House, including the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles last year, according to CBS News.