New York Knicks owner James Dolan reportedly has his knickers in a twist because the team’s players don’t want to visit the White House.
Stephen A. Smith told ESPN he’s heard rumors the NBA championship team is at odds with Dolan, who’s a friend of President Donald Trump, and even invited him to Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. (The Knicks lost that game.)
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“The owner, James Dolan, has an attitude with players because they don’t wanna go to the White House,” Smith said, hedging a bit to note he hadn’t heard from the players directly.
“This man is as petty as they come,” Smith said of Dolan, describing him as “a walking embodiment of petulance.”
Indeed, Madison Square Garden makes extensive use of biometric surveillance technology, which Dolan reportedly uses to blacklist his critics from the venue. (A Wired investigation found it’s also being used to assemble a list of celebrities’ race, gender identify and ****** orientation.)
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Here’s Trump and Dolan at Game 3:
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In June, Dolan told reporters the team had received an invitation to visit the White House and that they intended to take Trump up on it.
“We still have to figure out the details, et cetera, but yes, of course,” Dolan said at the time. “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.”
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If the Knicks were to visit under a Trump presidency, they’d be the first NBA champions to do so. Every previous team dating back to Trump’s first term has declined his invite.
So far this season the Knicks are 2-3, good enough for fourth in the Atlantic Division.
The Knicks didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
