The Oklahoma City Thunder will not visit the White House during their trip to Washington D.C. for a game against the Wizards. A team spokesperson cited a timing issue after discussions with the White House.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA's reigning champions, are set to play the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Saturday. However, they will forego the traditional White House visit that often accompanies such trips by title holders. A team spokesperson informed The Athletic's Joel Lorenzi that the team had been in touch with the White House but encountered a timing issue. The spokesperson stated: “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.” This marks another instance where NBA champions have skipped the visit during a Donald Trump presidency. The Golden State Warriors declined after their 2017 title and were not invited following 2018. The Toronto Raptors also passed on a visit after winning in 2019. In contrast, several Thunder players visited the White House in November 2022 under President Joe Biden for a tour, discussion, and partial screening of a documentary on the team's after-school program in Tulsa. Other recent champions show mixed precedents: the Los Angeles Lakers cited COVID-19 protocols after 2020, while the Milwaukee Bucks (2021), Golden State Warriors (2022), and Boston Celtics (2024) made the trip. The 2023 Denver Nuggets skipped due to scheduling issues on the White House side.
