New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson poured cold water on the idea that the championship-winning team will visit President Donald Trump at the White House.
James Dolan, the team’s billionaire owner, accepted an invitation to travel to Washington, D.C., to meet the president — but Brunson said the players have yet to talk it over amongst themselves.
“We haven’t discussed it,” the point guard told New York Magazine. “But as a team, we’ll discuss it and we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”
Dolan, who is friends with the Republican president, said during a radio interview on June 17: “We just received an invitation which we’ve accepted, still have to figure out the details…I’ve known the president 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
Dolan sat with Trump in the owner’s box at Madison Square Garden during Game 3 of the NBA Finals on June 8.
The 80-year-old president drew a chilly reception in New York City, which overwhelmingly backed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. When Trump’s face appeared on the Jumbotron, loud boos echoed through the arena.
The Knicks ended up losing to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3, but they rebounded to win the championship on June 13, securing their first title since 1973.
The victory sparked huge celebrations, including a massive Manhattan parade that drew millions of attendees and a City Hall ceremony where Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented the team with the keys to the city.
During the ceremony, Dolan appeared to take a swipe at Mamdani, a democratic socialist.
After the mayor delivered a speech focused on the details of the Knicks’ performance, the billionaire took the stage and said: “I don’t need your vote, I don’t need to quote to you, right, about what happened here because if you’re real Knicks fans, you know it already.”
If the Knicks do visit the White House, they would become the first NBA championship team to do so during either of Trump’s two terms, as numerous basketball players have criticized the president.
