New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has stated that the team has not yet discussed visiting the White House to see President Donald Trump, a statement that contrasts with remarks made by Knicks owner James Dolan.
Dolan, a friend of the president, had previously announced that the NBA champions had received and accepted an invitation to visit the White House. If the Knicks were to visit, they would be the first NBA championship team during the Trump administration to do so.
In an interview with New York Magazine, Brunson, who was named NBA Finals MVP, said that a decision had not been made and that the team had not discussed the matter. The interview occurred before Dolan's comments.
"We haven’t discussed it," Brunson said. "But as a team, we’ll discuss it and we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it."
Last week, Dolan told WFAN New York that the team had received and accepted an invitation from the White House. "As a matter of fact, thank you for asking me that, we just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted," Dolan stated. "We still have to figure out the details, but yes, of course."
Dolan's willingness to visit the White House stems from his longstanding friendship with President Trump. Dolan invited the president to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, where Trump was seen in Dolan's private suite. "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 added.
President Trump has publicly expressed admiration for Dolan and the Knicks' championship run. "I've been a Knick fan for a long time, and I'm also a Jim Dolan fan," the president said in a recent press conference. "He's a nice guy. He spent a long time wanting to win... He's got a team that's amazing."
The Knicks secured their championship title with a five-game series victory over the Spurs, leading to widespread celebrations in New York City. During the finals, President Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals, where he was booed by some fans at Madison Square Garden when shown on the arena's screens.