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By Hannah Parry and Anna Commander
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New York Knicks owner James Dolan announced the team has accepted President Donald Trump's invitation to the White House, potentially marking the first time an NBA champion will visit the Oval Office under the Trump administration.
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said during an appearance on WFAN New York on Wednesday, USA Today reports. “We still have to figure out the details, et cetera, but yes, of course. 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.”
A White House official told Newsweek on Wednesday night that “We have been in touch with the Knicks and look forward to hosting the team at a date to be determined in the future.”
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Speculation had been rife that the Knicks would follow the recent trend of players or even entire championship teams turning down the Trump administration's invitation to be honored at the White House. No NBA team visited the White House during Trump’s first term, and the Oklahoma City Thunder declined to visit Trump last year after they won the title.
During Trump's first term In 2017, the White House canceled its invitation to the champion Golden State Warriors after superstar guard Stephen Curry said he had no desire to attend.
Even some Super Bowl winners have turned down the invitation, such as the 12 players who decided to skip the White House after the Philadelphia Eagles' victory in 2025.
The White House pushed back on rumors that the Knicks had turned down the invitation after their first NBA championship win in 53 years. “This is fake news,” a White House official told Vanity Fair. “The White House congratulates the Knicks on their championship win and looks forward to discussing a visit in the near future.”
Now Dolan, a longtime friend of the president, has confirmed that the Knicks have accepted the offer. Trump has described himself as a "Jim Dolan fan," and he told reporters on June 4, “He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy. He’s got a team that’s amazing.”
When Did Winning NBA Teams Start Visiting the White House?
The first NBA champions to visit the White House were the Boston Celtics after then-President John F. Kennedy invited the team in 1963.
Trump's Support for the Knicks During Finals
The invitation comes after Trump took a visible interest in the Knicks’ championship run.
At Dolan’s invitation, Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Finals game. Trump, a longtime Knicks fan and New York native, publicly praised the team throughout the series and congratulated the franchise after it defeated the San Antonio Spurs to secure its first title since 1973.
Dolan has described Trump as a friend, and the two were seen sitting together during the Finals.
Trump congratulated the Knicks after they captured the title, taking to Truth Social to laud players Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson, calling the backup center a "great Patriot."
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