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Jalen Brunson is the undisputed King of New York right now, and the darling of the NBA, but would his star continue to shine if he sits out a trip to the White House?
Two questions surround the Knicks in the days after winning their first NBA championship in 53 years: Can they repeat? And, will the players go to the White House for a ceremonial celebration with President Trump?
Let’s tackle the repeat question first. The answer: Who knows? No team has won back-to-back titles in nearly 10 years.
They have a good shot at it. But if they fall short, I would be OK with it. This one’s going to last for a while.
A championship in New York is worth three anywhere else.
The second question, the White House question, is a little more complicated.
In a playoff game, there are two possibilities. You can win, or you could lose.
OG Anunoby’s game-winning Game 4 tip-in taught us that.
But whether the players go to the White House or sit this one out, they can’t win.
No NBA team has visited the White House since Trump has been president, not this time or the last time.
But team owner James Dolan, a personal friend of the president, has already very publicly accepted an invitation, which has put his players in a position more awkward than Mitchell Robinson at the free throw line.
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan told WFAN last week. “We still have to figure out the details, etc., but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend, I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
What’s a player to do?
If the players join their boss and bring the president a sacred Knicks jersey, they will be scored as sellouts by many of their loyal fans and avowed Trump detractors.
If they stay away, they will be labeled as spoiled and unpatriotic.
Trump attended the team’s Game 3 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden, where he was roundly booed.
The president’s visit ended the Knicks’ 13-game playoff winning streak, and was their only loss to the Spurs before winning the NBA Championship Series 4-1
Bygones, some would say, including “The View” host and actress Whoopi Goldberg, who — two days after Vice President JD Vance appeared on the show — said she thinks the team should make the trip.
“I want them to go,” Goldberg said. “I want all those Black men to stand in our house and remind all of those people, as we try to remind the vice president, that when you try to destroy one part of history, you’re destroying all of our histories. And they, as champions, not only as amazing basketball players, but as people who were down and came back up.”
“This is what this looks like,” Goldberg continued. “So I want them to go. I want them to go. If only so the kids know that nobody, nobody can keep you down if you are rising up.”
Goldberg has as much at stake as any Knicks fan. She famously “coached” the Knicks in the 1996 movie “Eddie,” playing a chauffeur-turned-head coach who turns around the hapless team and guides them to the playoffs.
The Knicks’ real-life rebound is an even better story. It shouldn’t end with locker room dissension over a trip to the Oval Office.
Each player should be able to decide for himself, and have his decision respected.
But what would really be another big win is if they decided as a team.
That’s what got them here.
Continue reading...
Two questions surround the Knicks in the days after winning their first NBA championship in 53 years: Can they repeat? And, will the players go to the White House for a ceremonial celebration with President Trump?
Let’s tackle the repeat question first. The answer: Who knows? No team has won back-to-back titles in nearly 10 years.
They have a good shot at it. But if they fall short, I would be OK with it. This one’s going to last for a while.
A championship in New York is worth three anywhere else.
The second question, the White House question, is a little more complicated.
In a playoff game, there are two possibilities. You can win, or you could lose.
OG Anunoby’s game-winning Game 4 tip-in taught us that.
But whether the players go to the White House or sit this one out, they can’t win.
No NBA team has visited the White House since Trump has been president, not this time or the last time.
But team owner James Dolan, a personal friend of the president, has already very publicly accepted an invitation, which has put his players in a position more awkward than Mitchell Robinson at the free throw line.
“We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted,” Dolan told WFAN last week. “We still have to figure out the details, etc., but yes, of course. Look, I invited the president to come down for the game. He is a friend, I’ve known him for 30 years and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
What’s a player to do?
If the players join their boss and bring the president a sacred Knicks jersey, they will be scored as sellouts by many of their loyal fans and avowed Trump detractors.
If they stay away, they will be labeled as spoiled and unpatriotic.
Trump attended the team’s Game 3 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden, where he was roundly booed.
The president’s visit ended the Knicks’ 13-game playoff winning streak, and was their only loss to the Spurs before winning the NBA Championship Series 4-1
Bygones, some would say, including “The View” host and actress Whoopi Goldberg, who — two days after Vice President JD Vance appeared on the show — said she thinks the team should make the trip.
“I want them to go,” Goldberg said. “I want all those Black men to stand in our house and remind all of those people, as we try to remind the vice president, that when you try to destroy one part of history, you’re destroying all of our histories. And they, as champions, not only as amazing basketball players, but as people who were down and came back up.”
“This is what this looks like,” Goldberg continued. “So I want them to go. I want them to go. If only so the kids know that nobody, nobody can keep you down if you are rising up.”
Goldberg has as much at stake as any Knicks fan. She famously “coached” the Knicks in the 1996 movie “Eddie,” playing a chauffeur-turned-head coach who turns around the hapless team and guides them to the playoffs.
The Knicks’ real-life rebound is an even better story. It shouldn’t end with locker room dissension over a trip to the Oval Office.
Each player should be able to decide for himself, and have his decision respected.
But what would really be another big win is if they decided as a team.
That’s what got them here.
Continue reading...
