Decision Still Being Discussed Internally
The New York Knicks are still deciding whether they will become the first NBA champions to visit the White House under President Donald Trump. Coach Mike Brown said on Tuesday that the team has not yet made a determination. The Knicks held their first practice of the new season on Tuesday. Brown was asked if there was a decision about a White House visit. He said, “No, it’s still something that our guys, or the organisation, are internally discussing, and whatever we decide to do, we’ll all do together.”
Trump Has Not Hosted NBA Champions
The president has traditionally invited the reigning champions, but that has not been the case under Trump. No team went during his first term or after he was elected again in 2024. The 2025 champion, the Oklahoma City Thunder, did not visit the White House last season. The team said the timing did not work out.
Historically, the Boston Celtics made the first trip by a champion in 1963. President Barack Obama, a basketball fan, hosted the winner every year he was in office. However, Trump has feuded with some NBA players. During the 2018 NBA Finals, he said he would not invite whichever team won after Stephen Curry and LeBron James said their teams had no interest in a visit.
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Dolan and Trump Have a Close Relationship
Trump and Knicks owner James Dolan are close. They sat together when Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Dolan indicated after the Knicks won the championship that an offer would be accepted. That relationship could play a role in whether the Knicks decide to go. The Knicks won the 2026 NBA title by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Finals on June 13, 2026.
Timing Could Be a Factor
Teams often try to arrange their visit when they are in Washington to play the Wizards. The New York Knicks are scheduled for those games on December 18 and March 16. That gives the team two possible windows to make the trip if they decide to go. For now, the decision remains with the players and the organisation. They will discuss it internally and make a choice together. Until then, no official visit has been scheduled or confirmed.