The New York Knicks will become the first NBA champions to accept the invitation of President Donald Trump to visit the White House on June 17.
Knicks Owner James Dolan spoke to WFAN New York sports radio: “We just received an invitation from the White House, which we accepted. We still have to figure out the details, etc., but yes, of course.”
Dolan continued, “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 invited Trump to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the only game that the Knicks lost en route to the title.
Trump was booed at the game at Madison Square Garden on June 8, where he was joined by several administration officials, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, among others, as he watched the game from Dolan’s box.
Trump’s Past History with the NBA
The previous five NBA champions in Trump’s presidency have declined the invitation to the White House, starting with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in 2017.
After the first of their back-to-back titles in 2017, star guard Curry and coach Steve Kerr each expressed their disinterest in visiting the White House. This led to Trump furiously taking back his invitation through a tweet in September 2017.
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating; the invitation is withdrawn! Trump posted on X.
The Warriors did not visit the White House the next year after they won the title again. The Toronto Raptors also followed suit by not attending after their 2019 win, either.
In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship win was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the team also declined. Two years earlier in 2018, Trump had told reporters that he would not invite Lakers player LeBron James to the White House after James expressed support for Curry’s views and even took to social media to call Trump a “bum” and added that “going to the White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
Three of the next four NBA champions, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Warriors, and the Boston Celtics, visited the White House in 2021, 2022, and 2024, but that was during the Biden administration. The Denver Nuggets had scheduled a visit following their 2023 title, but scheduling conflicts with the White House led to a postponement and eventual cancellation.
And when Trump returned to office for the second time after the 2024 general election, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers. They, too, declined, citing scheduling issues.
Knicks’ Fan Reactions
Trump has been a self-proclaimed Knicks fan for a long time. After they clinched the championship in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, Trump wrote on Truth Social:
“What a year it has been, but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four — Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball.”
However, the invitation acceptance may give way to polarizing views from players and fans, as they are on different ends of Trump’s political ideologies. A lot of the Knicks fanbase skews liberal, and the city had firmly backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
It is also uncertain as to how many of the players will attend. For example, Forward Josh Hart had posted a social media message where he used a derogatory term to describe Trump after Joe Biden’s victory in November 2020. Other players might be a little more supportive, with center Mitchell Robinson being a registered Republican and, when asked about Trump’s visit to the MSG, responding, “cool, I guess”.
Other Title-Winning Teams at the White House
Each year, title-winning teams in major US sports have traditionally received invitations to the White House to meet with the president after their victories. But Trump’s two terms in power have seen the tradition largely take a back seat.
Recently, Inter Miami CF, led by Lionel Messi, was hosted by Trump to celebrate their 2025 MLS Cup victory. The Team USA Hockey Men’s team also met with the president to celebrate their gold medal victory at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games. Several teams and athletes have also declined Trump’s invitation over scheduling issues or politics. Some teams have also been overlooked by the White House, and that has also made the headlines, such as the WNBA champion New York Liberty, were not invited to the White House but met with President Barack Obama instead.
