Nba Champion Oklahoma City Thunder Won’t Visit White House, Citing ‘timing Issue’

The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder will not sojourn nan White House during their travel to nan nation’s superior this weekend.

A Thunder spokesperson confirmed Friday that a “timing issue” will forestall nan squad from making nan accepted appearance. Oklahoma City look nan Wizards successful Washington connected Saturday.

“We person been successful touch pinch nan White House and we are appreciative and grateful for nan connection we person had, but nan timing conscionable didn’t activity out,” nan Thunder said successful a connection shared pinch nan Athletic.

Championship teams crossed nan awesome American sports person traditionally received invitations from nan president to sojourn nan White House and observe their victories. Such visits person go politically fraught during nan first and 2nd position of Donald Trump.

The past NBA champions to sojourn nan White House were nan Boston Celtics successful November 2024, erstwhile Joe Biden was president.

The Golden State Warriors elected not to sojourn Trump’s White House aft their 2017 title – he later said he had withdrawn their invitation – and they were not invited aft their 2018 championship. The Warriors had visited while Barack Obama was successful office, and did make nan travel nether Biden’s management after their 2022 title.

The 2019 champion Toronto Raptors did not sojourn while Trump was successful office, pinch players ruling retired a trip earlier an invitation had been offered, and nan 2020 Los Angeles Lakers skipped their visit to Biden’s White House because of pandemic wellness and information protocols.

The WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, who doubly visited for titles during nan Biden era, person nary evident plans to spell aft their 2025 title.

The Thunder visited nan White House for a circuit and documentary screening successful 2022 erstwhile Biden was successful office, though they weren’t nan NBA champions.

The NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles were not invited by Trump aft their title successful nan 2017 season, but they did sojourn successful April 2025 aft their Super Bowl LIX victory. (Several players, including stars Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith, did not attend.) As of 1 March, nan reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks had not yet received their invitation nor made a determination connected attending. The Los Angeles Dodgers visited successful April 2025 and person said they scheme to return pursuing their astir caller World Series title.

MLS champion Inter Miami are nan astir caller master squad to spell to nan White House, having made nan travel earlier this month. The NHL’s Florida Panthers person visited doubly since Trump returned to office, astir precocious successful mid-January.

Last month, Trump hosted nan US Olympic men’s lucky team astatine nan White House and nan State of nan Union after their gold-medal win astatine nan Milano Cortina Games. The mostly of nan men’s squad attended; nan women’s squad was invited but declined their invitation, citing timing and erstwhile commitments.