President Donald Trump’s White House extended an invitation to the New York Knicks following their NBA Championship win on Saturday. And, according to the team’s owner James Dolan, they’ve already accepted the invite to Washington, D.C.
During an interview with WFAN New York on Wednesday, Dolan addressed speculation over whether or not the Knicks would visit the White House after their big win. Dolan made it clear they’ll be paying a visit to the White House, reminding WFAN listeners that he invited the president to Game 3 of the NBA finals.
“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, [we’re excited]. I invited the President to come down for the game, right? He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
While Dolan may’ve been thrilled by Trump becoming the first sitting president to attend the NBA finals, Game 3 attendees weren’t please by his presence. As we previously reported, Trump was met with a deafening bout of boos from the Madison Square Garden crowd, interrupting the National Anthem during Game 3 of the NBA finals.
The icy reception came after Trump’s attendance at the game caused hours of delays due to heightened security and secret service protocol leading up to tip-off.
Though, the New York Knicks did issue a warning about the tightened security measures, writing on X, “As we move closer to Game 3 of the NBS Finals on Monday night, Madison Square Garden and the United States Secret Service want to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all ticket holders by sharing important security procedures that will be in place.”
The statement continued: “A strict no-bag policy will be in effect, and fans should make every effort to limit personal items to an absolute minimum. Fans should expect enhanced security measures when entering Madison Square Garden, including TSA-style screening procedures. Guests are strongly encouraged to arrive at least two hours before tip-off to allow additional time for screening and entry.”
The U.S. Secret Service and the NYPD also determined at the time that a watch party could not be held outside the Garden for Game 3, which further frustrated fans.
Though the Knicks did lose Game 3, the team ended up nabbing the championship title during Game 5, where they beat the San Antonio Spurs 94-90.
