The New York Knicks finally ended a championship drought that lasted more than five decades. On June 13, the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to capture their first NBA title in 53 years.
With the celebrations continuing across New York, attention has now shifted to the tradition of visiting the White House. So, are the Knicks going to the White House?
Knicks Owner’s Latest Revelation Regarding the Team
According to Knicks owner James Dolan, the answer is yes. During a recent appearance on WFAN Radio, Dolan confirmed that the team received an invitation from President Donald Trump and has accepted it.
“As a matter of fact, thank you for asking me that; we just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted.”
“We still have to figure out the details, etc, 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,” Dolan said during the interview.
The visit will make the Knicks the first NBA championship team since the 2024 Boston Celtics to visit the White House. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the title last year, reportedly were unable to visit due to scheduling issues.
White House visits have not always been straightforward. Over the years, several championship teams either skipped the tradition or were unable to attend.
The Golden State Warriors had their 2017 invitation rescinded after Stephen Curry expressed hesitation about attending. The Toronto Raptors declined a White House visit following their 2019 championship. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers did not visit after winning the 2020 title. They cited scheduling conflicts and COVID-19 protocols.
This time, however, there appears to be little doubt that the Knicks will make the trip. Part of that comes from the relationship between President Trump and Dolan.
Trump has long been known as a Knicks fan. Moreover, Dolan personally invited him to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. That appearance made Trump the first sitting U.S. president to attend an NBA Finals game. However, unfortunately, the Knicks lost the only Finals game when the POTUS was in the building.
On top of all that, this Thursday is a big day for the city as well. Mayor Zohran Mamdani had already announced that New York would throw a ticker-tape parade to celebrate the Knicks’ title, and according to Dolan, singer Alicia Keys is set to perform for everyone there.
It’s easy to see why this win mattered so much. The Knicks had not lifted a championship trophy since 1973, and fans had sat through decades of near misses and rebuilding years waiting for a moment like this.
