The question of whether sports champions will make the customary visit to the White House has been a very contentious one during Donald Trump’s two terms as president.
In 2018, the Philadelphia Eagles cancelled their visit to the White House, and while the Eagles did make the trip for their next championship in 2025, several star players, including Jalen Hurts, skipped the visit. The Golden State Warriors, after winning the NBA title, skipped a White House visit in 2017, after which Trump tweeted that they weren’t welcome. That led to this famous retort from LeBron James:
U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017
This year, as part of a week-long controversy, Trump welcomed the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team, while the women declined to visit Washington.
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Now, the word is that another team won’t be coming to the Trump White House, although they have not cited a political reason.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the NBA championship for the first time last June, have not visited the White House, and they’re not planning to this week, when the team is in Washington to play the Wizards. Teams often schedule the White House visit for a time when they’re in town during the season, but the Thunder will not do so this time, due to a “timing” issue, The Athletic reported.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA’s reigning champion, will not make the customary visit to the White House while in Washington due to a “timing issue”, a team spokesperson told @TheAthletic.
More here:https://t.co/oDvvmqFUN4
— Joel Lorenzi (@JoelXLorenzi) March 20, 2026
“We have been in touch with the White House, and we are appreciative and grateful for the communication we have had, but the timing just didn’t work out,” the team said in a statement to the media outlet.
The last NBA champion to visit the White House was the Boston Celtics, who visited in November 2024, when President Biden was still in office.
The basketball-loving Barack Obama, during his eight years in office, welcomed NBA champions to the White House seven times. The Los Angeles Lakers, who won for the second straight year in 2010, held their second ceremony at a Washington Boys and Girls Club instead of at the White House.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
