U.S. President Donald Trump speaks next to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick during a cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 27, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump said he plans to attend one of the New York Knicks’ NBA Finals games at Madison Square Garden, speaking with reporters on Wednesday.
“I was invited,” Trump said. “I was going to go [to the potential Eastern Conference Final Game 5] on Wednesday, but they closed it out very quickly. [Team owner] Jim Dolan’s a great guy… Boy, what a team. They won all their games. They have some great players. I think I’ll be going to one of the games. I’ve been invited by numerous people and Jim. It’s great to see. The Knicks have really suffered for years.”
The Knicks are appearing in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and will face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs beginning on June 3. The first scheduled matchup at Madison Square Garden is not until Game 3 on June 8, followed by Game 4 two days later.
Trump has often made a point of attending high-profile sporting events throughout his presidency. Last year alone, he attended the Super Bowl, Daytona 500, a Yankees game, and the US Open men’s final in Flushing Meadows.
He is also hosting a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House to celebrate his birthday next month.
Dolan has been a vocal supporter of his friend, Trump, and has donated to his political campaigns. He also got married at the President’s private club in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, in 2018.
While the Knicks are the President’s hometown team, his presence at an NBA game will likely expose him to a different level of vitriol. The President’s relationship with the league has often been rocky since his first term. The Golden State Warriors did not attend the White House when they won the championship in 2017, then were not invited the following year when they repeated.
The Thunder, last year’s champion, also did not attend the White House, though they labeled it a “timing issue.”
Trump has criticized two of this generation’s biggest stars, Stephen Curry and LeBron James. He accused Curry of “hesitating” at the President’s initial request to visit the White House before rescinding the invitation upon being spurned by the Warriors. He also went on CNN and insulted James’ intelligence.
Spurs star big man and French native Victor Wembanyama expressed his concern earlier this year about living in the United States as a foreign player amid this administration.
For more on President Trump and the Knicks, visit AMNY.com
