The Oklahoma City Thunder will not be visiting the White House during their trip to Washington to face the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Saturday.
A team spokesperson confirmed to The Athletic‘s Joel Lorenzi that while the Thunder had been in touch with the White House about a potential visit, a “timing issue” prevented it from happening.
“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 spokesperson said in a statement.
A History of NBA Teams Skipping the White House Visit
The Thunder’s decision to skip the White House visit is not the first time an NBA team has opted out during a presidency. The Golden State Warriors famously did not visit after winning the 2017 NBA title and were not invited after their 2018 victory.
The Toronto Raptors also skipped the visit after winning the 2019 title. While championship teams from Canada do not always visit the White House, it is not without precedent—The Toronto Blue Jays made a visit to the White House in 1992.
Past White House Visits and Timing Issues
Several players from the Oklahoma City Thunder visited the White House during President Joe Biden’s administration. In November 2022, the team toured the White House, participated in discussions, and partially screened a documentary about its after-school program in Tulsa.
Other recent NBA championship teams have had varied experiences with White House visits. The Los Angeles Lakers, after winning the 2020 NBA title, did not visit the White House due to COVID-19 protocols.
On the other hand, the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks, 2022 Golden State Warriors, and 2024 Boston Celtics all made the traditional visit following their championships.
However, the 2023 NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, also did not make the visit, citing scheduling conflicts on the White House’s end.
