New York Knicks owner James Dolan has confirmed that the NBA champions will accept an invitation to celebrate their title at the White House, making the team the first NBA champion to visit during the Trump administration.
Dolan broke the news on WFAN New York on Wednesday, saying the formal invitation from Washington had arrived and been accepted by the front office.
"As a matter of fact, thank you for asking me that, we just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted," Dolan said. "We still have to figure out the details, but yes, of course."
The trip carries added significance for Dolan, who has known President Trump for 30 years and invited him into his private suite for Game 3 of the NBA Finals last week.
"I invited the President to come down for the game," Dolan said. "He is a friend. I've known him for 30 years and I'm very proud to bring the team to the White House."
Trump's praise for Dolan
Trump has praised Dolan publicly, speaking about his competitive drive and the roster's resilience during a press conference earlier in the month.
"I've been a Knick fan for a long time, and I'm also a Jim Dolan fan," Trump said. "He's a nice guy. He spent a long time wanting to win... He's got a team that's amazing."
The Knicks' postseason run ended with a five-game series win over the San Antonio Spurs, setting off city-wide celebrations that brought millions of fans into the streets. The one loss of their Finals run came in Game 3, the game Trump watched from Dolan's suite. During that visit, Trump was booed by thousands of fans inside Madison Square Garden when he appeared on the big screens during the national anthem.
Some championship teams in other sports have skipped the traditional White House visit over scheduling conflicts, but the Knicks appear committed to attending.
Dolan on the parade and the city
The update comes days after Dolan gave a rare television interview to Fox 5 New York's "Good Day New York," where he discussed the team's success, the possibility of selling the club, and whether his venue would host Taylor Swift's wedding. Speaking the day before a ticker-tape parade through Lower Manhattan, Dolan said he hadn't slept well in a while.
"I finally got a few hours last night, but it's been long," he said.
Dolan said he was surprised by how the win had united the city since Saturday's victory.
"I knew there was a lot of pent up frustration, but we're obviously really happy about how people have all come together, the whole city's turned orange," he said. "It's great, it's great for the city, it's great to see people come together on something."
Asked why fans embraced this team, Dolan credited the players themselves.
"The guys, they're all lovely people, good character people, and I think that people felt that throughout the season but particularly in the playoffs and Jalen leading them. They're very, very likeable."
