Whoopi Goldberg Issues Plea To Knicks Players Before White House Visit

Whoopi Goldberg is offering up a public plea to New York Knicks players regarding a potential White House visit.

The Knicks topped the Spurs, 4-1, in the 2026 NBA Finals. It's New York's first NBA championship since 1973. The Knicks are having their NBA championship parade in downtown New York City on Thursday.

But will the team visit President Trump at the White House? Goldberg, surprisingly, is urging all Knicks players to go.

"I want them to go. I want all those Black men to stand in our house and remind all of those people, as we tried 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, [can say], ‘This is what this looks like. Yeah, this is what this looks like.' So I want them to go, I want them to go. If only so the kids know that nobody, nobody can keep you down."

Meanwhile, Sara Haines is worried that Knicks players have been put in a difficult position.

"I will tell you, this puts the players in a really precarious position, merely because Jim Dolan is admittedly a good friend of Donald Trump's, and to now put that on the players, your boss, the owner of the team you play for, is extending this offer, accepting this offer. I know you might get people that refuse to go, I just think it's not fair to take any of the flowers and the beauty of this moment and its unity and try to then place it on the player's backs," she said.

James Dolan already accepted President Trump's offer

The owner of the Knicks confirmed that the team will be visiting the White House.

"We just did receive an invitation from the White House, which we accepted. 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," he said during an appearance on "The Craig Carton Show" on Wednesday.

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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 9:51 AM.