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.
