New York Knicks owner James Dolan said during an appearance on WFAN radio Wednesday that the Trump administration has invited the team to celebrate its 2026 NBA championship at the White House and that the franchise has accepted.
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said. “We still have to figure out the details.”
The White House confirmed the news to The Athletic. “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,” a spokesperson said.
Dolan and President Donald Trump are well-acquainted, as Dolan invited Trump to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden and also allowed Trump to use the arena for a campaign rally before the 2024 presidential election.
Strict security measures were enacted for Trump’s attendance at Game 3, which was the first NBA Finals game in New York since 1999 and the only game the Knicks lost in the series, with the San Antonio Spurs collecting a 115-111 victory.
Dolan was seen sitting with Trump in a luxury box protected by bulletproof glass during the game.
“Look, I invited the president to come down for the game,” Dolan said Wednesday. “He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years. And I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
Dolan said they have yet to set a date for the event. However, when the Knicks do attend the White House, they will become the first NBA championship team to visit Trump during either of his terms as president.
The Golden State Warriors started the trend of not visiting Trump’s White House in September 2017, when Stephen Curry said before the 2017-18 season that he would not be interested in attending a White House ceremony to honor the Warriors’ 2017 title.
Trump then famously withdrew the invitation over social media.
Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team.Stephen Curry is hesitating,therefore invitation is withdrawn!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017
Curry later responded to Trump’s post.
“My stance is the same as it was,” Curry said. “And even kind of cemented even further about how things in our country are going, especially with (Trump) representing us in a very damaging way. I don’t know why he feels the need to target certain individuals rather than others. I have an idea of why, but it’s kind of beneath a leader of a country to go that route. That’s not what leaders do.”
LeBron James, whose Cleveland Cavaliers had just lost to the Warriors in the previous season’s finals, backed Curry’s position with a post of his own.
“U bum (Curry) already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite,” James wrote. “Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017
Three NBA championship teams — the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks, the 2022 Golden State Warriors and the 2024 Boston Celtics — visited the White House during President Joe Biden’s term. The 2020 Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t because of COVID-19 regulations, and the 2023 Denver Nuggets did not due to scheduling conflicts. Last year’s champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, did not visit the White House this year.