The New York Knicks have spent the last few days celebrating their historic championship win. But amid the schedule of the legacy ticker-tape parade dropping alongside citywide party plans, everyone’s attention has suddenly shifted to another long-standing tradition involving the White House. Team owner James Dolan was asked whether the franchise plans to accept a presidential invitation, a matter that has been controversial in recent seasons.

No US sports season has felt complete without a championship team visiting the White House. Yet, it has become a complicated tale in Donald Trump’s presidency. Now in his second term, the POTUS has yet to meet an NBA champion at his headquarters. The Knicks plan on breaking the chain.

“We just received an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said on WFAN Sports Radio. “We still have to figure out the details, et cetera.”

The announcement came just days after the Knicks secured a hard-fought series against the Spurs. Notably, Trump also attended Game 3 of that series, which was coincidentally the only game the Knicks lost in over 50 days, at MSG. After TSA-style security checks and a no-bag policy for all attendees, the President watched the Finals game from the owner’s suite, sitting alongside Dolan behind bulletproof glass.

The Knicks owner further explained his long-standing relationship with Trump and how that has influenced Jalen Brunson and others in breaking a trend that was started by the Golden State Warriors.

“I invited the President to come down for the game,” Dolan continued. “He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years. I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”

Soon after, the White House also confirmed the news to The Athletic.

“We have been in touch with the Knicks and look forward to hosting the team at a date to be determined in the near future,” a spokesperson said.

While that might seem pleasant, the White House tradition has been far from an easy ride for Trump’s time in politics. During his first term, the topic surrounding the championship visits became controversial and never really materialized. After the Warriors’ 2017 title, Stephen Curry publicly expressed his hesitation about making the trip. In response, Trump withdrew the invitation altogether. Even Kevin Durant expressed a similar view and decided not to visit.

Ultimately, the team skipped it. Notably, even LeBron James, whose Cleveland Cavaliers team had lost to the Warriors in the Finals, backed his biggest NBA rival.

“U b** (Curry) already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite,” James wrote. “Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”

The very next year, the Warriors once again won the title, and this time, they didn’t receive the invitation. In 2018, ahead of the Warriors’ sweep against the Cavaliers, Trump said on record, “I didn’t invite LeBron James, and I didn’t invite Steph Curry. We’re not going to invite either team.”

In 2019, the Toronto Raptors, based in Canada, won, further complicating the tradition. In 2020, the global pandemic disrupted it once again. It is also important to note that three winning teams, the Milwaukee Bucks (2021), the Warriors (2022), and the Boston Celtics (2024), visited the White House during Joe Biden’s term.

But recently, during Trump’s second term, the Oklahoma City Thunder received an invitation to visit the White House and couldn’t attend, citing “timing” issues.

Now, with the Knicks gearing up to visit the President, it marks a notable development in the history of NBA champions and White House visits. But keeping Dolan’s part aside, what is the sentiment within the locker room?

Are the Knicks players really open to a White House visit?

There is no confirmation from the players’ end yet. However, one Knicks guard recently showcased a glimpse into the team’s mindset. Jose Alvarado, who joined the New York franchise at the 2026 trade deadline, addressed the possibility. TMZ Sports caught up with him outside iHeart Studios in NYC and asked if he would visit the White House. The 28-year-old star made it clear that he would follow the team’s lead.

“If there is a chance, I’m going wherever my teammate(s) go,” Alvarado said.

Although that doesn’t necessarily reflect the entire roster’s wishes, Alvarado’s comment suggests the team would join the keen owner on the visit. So, it would mark the Knicks as the first team to visit the White House during Donald Trump’s term.

On a side note, Karl-Anthony Towns was previously asked how he felt about Trump’s presence at MSG. But the Knicks’ big man declined to comment directly after the POTUS was showered with boos each time he appeared on the jumbotron.

It is highly unlikely we’ll get any word from Jalen Brunson either.

Before they visit the Capital, though, the Knicks have some local duties scheduled on June 18th. The NY side’s championship parade is set for Thursday morning, with the players and coaches scheduled to travel from Battery Park through the historic Canyon of Heroes.

They will conclude the celebrations at the City Hall, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani will host the event, honoring the city’s first NBA championship since 1973.

Following that, they will make history yet again, becoming the first championship team to visit Trump.