Despite the fact that James Dolan wants to visit the White House with his team in celebration of their championship, New York Knicks superfan Spike Lee doesn't want them to do it.
Speaking to Variety, Lee was adamant the team shouldn't visit the White House. He insisted that Dolan “can't force them” to go, pointing out that it has been several years since the last NBA team went to D.C.
“He can't force them!” Lee said of Dolan. “It’s been years since the last NBA team has gone. They’re not going. I hope they don’t go! I hope they don’t go.”
Lee also noted that Donald Trump attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals—which was the Knicks' only loss in the series—”was not just an accident!”
James Dolan really wants the Knicks to visit the White House
Last week, Stephen A. Smith claimed that Dolan wasn't happy that his team didn't want to visit the White House. Smith believes that Dolan “has had an attitude with players because they don't want to go to the White House.”
“People have been a little bit stressed because the owner, James Dolan, has an attitude with players because they don't want to go to the White House,” Smith said. “I don't know whether this is true or not, but I'll believe anything when it comes to James Dolan because he is a walking embodiment of petulance. This man is as petty as they come.”
While the team might skip the visit, Smith believes it could affect the team's future. He's “concerned” that Dolan might hold a grudge and be okay with making fans wait decades before winning another title. Dolan is friends with Trump, which explains why he's eager to visit the White House. However, it does not appear that the players want to do it.