Oklahoma City Thunder players will not visit the White House following their NBA championship win, a team spokesperson confirmed Friday. The decision comes after discussions between the team and the Biden administration regarding a potential celebration of the 2025 NBA champions.
“We have been in communication with the White House, and we appreciate and are grateful for the communication we’ve had, but the scheduling simply didn’t operate out,” the Thunder said in a statement.
A White House visit has long been a tradition for NBA champions, dating back to the Boston Celtics’ visit in 1963. Typically, teams schedule the event to coincide with a regular season game in the nation’s capital. The Thunder are scheduled to play the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
While the Thunder cited scheduling conflicts, other teams have declined White House invitations in recent years. The Golden State Warriors notably declined a visit in 2017.
The decision follows a recent visit by the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey team, who attended President Biden’s State of the Union address after winning the gold medal. The team also met with President Trump in the Oval Office and had lunch at the White House. The U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey team was also invited to the State of the Union address, but declined to attend, citing “scheduling and previously planned academic and professional commitments.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s championship win, their first in franchise history, came against the Indiana Pacers, according to reports from France 24. The team also recently ended the Denver Nuggets’ six-match winning streak, according to the BBC.
The new Oklahoma Thunder arena is also set to receive a new name, according to the Coliseum Global Sports Venue Alliance, though details have not yet been released.
The Thunder’s decision also comes amid reported tension between the team and former President Donald Trump, who reportedly extended an invitation to the team that was met with an “awkward standoff,” according to the Irish Star.
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