As owner James Dolan locks in plans to visit Trump, New York’s top attorney makes sure the champions know they have a choice

New York Attorney General Letitia James used one of the city’s biggest celebrations to deliver a message that cut straight through the political noise: Knicks players, the White House trip is yours to decide. Standing at the Knicks’ championship parade in New York City, James publicly reminded every player on the newly crowned NBA champions that no contract, no owner, and no invitation from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can force them through that door.

What AG James Said — and Why It Matters

Speaking to reporters at the Knicks’ championship parade, James reminded players that attending any White House visit is entirely their personal choice. Her words were direct and grounded in law.

“That is their personal prerogative, because, you know, in their contract, they have autonomy over their bodies,” James told reporters at City Hall during the Knicks’ championship parade.

“And therefore, if they decide not to go, I would respect that.” Her comments came one day after owner James Dolan publicly confirmed the team had accepted an invitation from President Donald Trump.

The statement was not a legal order or a political directive. It was something perhaps more powerful in this moment — a reminder from the state’s top law enforcement officer that individual players have rights that no owner can waive on their behalf. James, a member of the Democratic Party, is the first Black person to serve as New York attorney general and the first Black woman to hold statewide office in New York. She knows what it means for players — the overwhelming majority of whom are Black — to navigate a situation created by a wealthy white owner’s personal friendship with a president.

How the Knicks Got Here

The New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years after beating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It was a triumph decades in the making. Brunson — the Finals MVP — willed the Knicks back with an all-time performance (45 pts, 3 ast, 2 stl, 14-27 FG) as they rallied past the Spurs once more to claim an epic series in five games.

The Knicks’ 53-year championship drought was the fifth longest in the NBA. New York had come close before — Finals losses in 1994 and 1999 — but never broke through. This time, they did it with style. From starting the playoffs 1-2 to a 15-1 finishing run, the Knicks delivered New York’s first NBA title in 53 years.

The city erupted. It was bedlam on Broadway as the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years, with exuberant celebrations. Outside Madison Square Garden, a crowd watching on a big screen roared as the Knicks rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the Spurs in San Antonio.

Dolan’s Decision: The Owner Speaks for the Team

The controversy started the morning after the Knicks clinched the title, when owner James Dolan went on WFAN sports radio and made the call — without consulting players publicly.

“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan said. “We still have to figure out the details, etc., but yes, of course.” A White House official told NBC News on Wednesday that administration officials have “been in touch with the Knicks and look forward to hosting the team at a date to be determined in the near future.”

Dolan made no secret of why. “Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House,” Dolan said.

At Dolan’s invitation, Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Finals game. Trump, a longtime Knicks fan and New York native, publicly praised the team throughout the series and congratulated the franchise after it defeated the San Antonio Spurs.

That Game 3 appearance did not go smoothly for the president. New Yorkers booed him lustily when he was shown onscreen during the singing of the national anthem, standing in Dolan’s box along with several of his Cabinet officials, and the Knicks lost the game. It was the only game New York dropped in the series.

Breaking a Long NBA Streak

The Knicks’ planned White House visit would make history of a different kind. Every NBA champion during Trump’s first and second terms had declined White House invitations — dating back to the 2017 Golden State Warriors, when star Stephen Curry expressed reluctance, and Trump promptly rescinded the invite.

Here is a quick breakdown of how NBA champions have handled this question under Trump:

• Star player Stephen Curry said in September 2017 that he was not interested in visiting Trump’s White House. “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” Trump wrote on X in September 2017.
• The Toronto Raptors did not attend the White House after their 2019 win, either.
• In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship win was delayed by the Covid pandemic, and the team did not visit the White House.
• When Trump returned to office last year, the Oklahoma City Thunder said they would not visit the White House after their championship win because of “timing” issues.
• Three teams visited during President Joe Biden’s term — the Milwaukee Bucks, the Warriors and the Boston Celtics in 2021, 2023 and 2024, respectively.

The contrast with women’s sports is also striking. The New York Liberty, the 2025 WNBA champions, did not receive an invitation to the White House. The gold medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team did only after backlash, and they ultimately declined. The pattern raises real questions about who gets invited, and why.

Who Is Letitia James — and Why Did She Speak Up?

Letitia “Tish” James is the 67th Attorney General for the State of New York. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she is a lifelong public servant with decades of experience advocating for New Yorkers. She has built her career on the idea that power should not go unchecked — whether that power belongs to corporations, landlords, or presidents.

James’s office filed a civil suit against Donald Trump that resulted in penalties and a fine of more than four hundred million dollars. She has also faced personal legal pressure: in October 2025, James was federally indicted on one count of bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution. James pled not guilty to the charges. The case was dismissed by a federal judge on November 24, 2025, after which two other grand juries refused to bring charges against her again. Her lawyers described the government’s actions as revenge on behalf of the Trump administration.

That context matters. When James stepped to the microphone at the Knicks’ parade, she was not just a politician making a point. She was a woman who had personally lived through what it means to have a powerful institution try to silence you — and she chose to use that moment to protect others from the same kind of pressure.

What Happens Next

It’s not clear which Knicks players are planning to travel to the White House, or whether any will choose to stay home. That uncertainty is exactly the point James was making. The owner accepted the invitation. The players did not.

Championship teams have traditionally visited the White House for decades, but the custom became increasingly politicized during Trump’s first term. For many NBA players — who are predominantly Black and lean heavily Democratic — the question of whether to stand in the Rose Garden with this particular president is not a small one.

It is worth noting that in the NBA, 45.9% of players are Independents, while 42.9% of them vote Democratic. Republicans only make up 10% of the league. That means the vast majority of Knicks players are being asked to celebrate in a house that represents a political world most of them do not share.

The Bottom Line

The Knicks earned this title — on heart, hustle, and a historic run through the playoffs. New York Attorney General Letitia James has a message for the NY Knicks: you earned this championship — but no one can make you celebrate it at the White House. That is a principle worth defending.

Dolan has every right to accept an invitation. Players have every right to decline one. Those are not the same thing, and James made sure everyone understood the difference. Whether any Knicks players ultimately skip the trip remains to be seen. But the AG has made clear that the law is on their side if they do.

This moment is bigger than basketball. It is a test of whether players — workers, really, in one of the world’s most visible industries — have the power to make their own choices when their boss makes one they may not agree with. In New York, at least, the state’s top attorney has their back.

Keep watching this story. When the White House visit date is announced, pay attention to who shows up and who does not. Those decisions will tell us a great deal about the courage, convictions, and character of the 2026 NBA champions — and about the state of player power in American professional sports.