Terrance’s Take: Black athletes should avoid  visits to Trump White House

Just days after the New York Knicks had won their first NBA title in 53 years, their historic run, the planning of the parade, and their chances to repeat should have led the conversation.

But it didn’t.

The topic that seemed to be on everybody’s mind and dominated the headlines was whether the Knicks would make the voyage to the White House to be honored by President Donald Trump. Initially, word spread that the Knicks would join every other NBA championship team that passed on the White House visit when Trump occupied it.

On June 18, however, Knicks owner James Dolan did what made sense for him. After all, Dolan had invited Trump to Madison Square Garden for what was a disastrous Game 3 for the Knicks.

Naturally, Dolan accepted the invite.

Talk about a missed opportunity and being toned deaf at the same time. The Knicks should have declined, as should all championship teams, given the divisiveness and hate that have been spewed by this president, whose first 18 months back in the White House have been nothing but an embarrassment to this country.

Black and Brown athletes in particular should decline any invitation because of the blatant disrespect and minimizing this president has shown toward their people. For Dolan to accept his friend’s invitation on behalf of the players who brought him the title just seems distasteful.

Jalen Brunson & company should not be in this position, having to decide and deal with the scrutiny of public opinion. But you hope that Brunson will feel as emboldened as Stephen Curry did when he stood up and said he would pass on the trip to the Trump White House after the Golden State Warriors won the NBA title in 2017.

That league that usually gets it has consistently passed on the Trump-occupied White House. The Warriors said no twice; Toronto, no thanks; last year, Oklahoma City declined; and the Los Angeles Lakers kindly waited until Joe Biden was in the White House, but that photo op didn’t happen because of COVID-19.

Trump has been so polarizing as president that it makes sense to avoid the misconception of supporting what’s going on. The Indiana Hoosiers, who won the College Football Playoff National Championship earlier this season, did make the trip to Washington, DC and the White House in May with several Black players present, but missing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and a couple of other key players who chose their NFL practices over being in the presence of Trump.

What was once a great honor for athletes and their teams has become an awkward moment.

College athletes of all races should have an issue with Trump, who along with former college coaches Nick Saban and Tommy Tuberville, is trying to roll back the gains college athletes have made in terms of NIL and revenue-sharing money and the freedom to move around.

So why fake the funk with someone who is working against you for an awkward photo op and a McDonald’s Happy Meal?

Find somewhere – anywhere else to be.