The New York Knicks' championship celebration is hitting a political pothole. After owner James Dolan accepted an invitation from President Donald Trump to visit the White House, one of the team's key players is facing intense public pressure to bow out.
Josh Hart, the versatile guard who helped the Knicks clinch their first title since 1973, is at the center of a social media storm. Fans are pointing to Hart's 2020 tweet celebrating Trump's election loss, questioning how he could now shake hands with the man he once called out.
Former NFL wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh didn't mince words on the Speakeasy podcast. “Josh Hart isn’t going. There’s no way you can tweet ‘Get Trump’s [expletive] out the White House’ and then back pedal faster than Deion [Sanders]. At some point, you got to stand on what you stand on,” Houshmandzadeh said.
The controversy comes as the Knicks are still basking in the glow of their NBA Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Dolan, a longtime friend of Trump, extended an invitation to the president to attend Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, and the White House quickly reciprocated. “We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan told WFAN. “I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
Not everyone is urging a boycott. Former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason wants the entire team to make the trip. “When does Jim Dolan tell his team that we’re going down to visit my good friend Donald Trump in the White House? That’s what I can’t wait for,” Esiason said on his radio show. “You go out of respect to the office. I would think that everybody can get over the political nature of all of this.”
The Knicks have yet to set a date for the visit, but the debate is already heating up. Hart hasn't publicly commented, but his silence is speaking volumes to fans who are watching closely. The team's unity, which carried them through a grueling playoffs, is now being tested off the court.
This isn't the first time the Knicks have been in the headlines for off-court drama. Just last week, a WFAN host blasted the mayor for a 9/11 comparison at the championship parade, and Whoopi Goldberg made a bold plea for the team to embrace the White House visit. The parade itself was a mixed bag, with thousands of fans left out in the cold and crude chants aimed at Victor Wembanyama drawing criticism.
For now, all eyes are on Josh Hart. Will he stand on his principles and skip the White House, or will he join his teammates for what could be a historic visit? The ball is in his court.
