«Il ne peut pas les forcer! Cela fait des années que les champions NBA n’y vont plus.»
Filmmaker Spike Lee has publicly stated his hope that the New York Knicks players will not accept an invitation to visit the White House, while arguing that franchise owner James Dolan cannot force them to go.
James Dolan accepted an invitation from the United States president after the New York franchise secured the 2026 NBA championship by defeating Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs four games to one. The billionaire owner announced on June 17 that the team had received and accepted the offer from the White House.
Yet no NBA championship team has visited the residence during Donald Trump’s first or second term in office. Dolan, a prominent supporter of the Republican president, even invited him to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals—the sole game the Knicks lost in the series.
Filmmaker and Knicks superfan Spike Lee told Variety he hopes his Knicks don’t visit President Donald Trump at the White House to celebrate their 2026 championship, even after Knicks owner James Dolan told WFAN Radio in June that he had already received and accepted an…
«Ce n’était pas juste un accident», Spike Lee stated in an interview published by Variety on November 2.
The director, known for films such as Do the Right Thing and the biographical film about Malcolm X, is a fixture courtside at Madison Square Garden. In the interview, the 69-year-old filmmaker and political activist argued that Dolan lacks the authority to compel Jalen Brunson and his teammates to make the trip to Washington.
Spike Lee has a message for the New York Knicks about visiting the White House: Don’t go. “He can’t force them!” Lee told Variety’s @MarlowNYC about James Dolan trying to get the team to visit. “It’s been years since the last NBA team has gone. They’re not going. I hope they… pic.twitter.com/BGymq50SES”
«J’espère qu’ils n’iront pas! J’espère qu’ils n’iront pas», Lee added, reinforcing his stance as the franchise celebrates its title win.
