The Oklahoma City Thunder will not visit the White House to meet U.S. President Donald Trump during their trip to Washington, D.C., because scheduling conflicts prevented the customary championship celebration from taking place.
The defending NBA champions and current league leaders, the Oklahoma City Thunder, will not make the traditional White House visit to meet U.S. President Donald Trump during their trip to Washington, D.C., according to a team spokesperson.
Oklahoma City Thunder / Schedule
The organization and the White House had discussed a potential event to celebrate the Thunder's 2025 championship. However, those plans ultimately fell through because of a "timing issue."
"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 Thunder said in a statement shared with The Athletic.
A trip to the White House has long been a tradition for NBA championship teams, dating back to 1963, when the Boston Celtics were invited after winning the title the previous season.
Teams often schedule their visit when the regular-season calendar brings them to the U.S. capital. This weekend, Oklahoma City is set to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
Credit AP - Scanpix
The most recent NBA champions to celebrate at the White House were the Boston Celtics, who visited in November 2024 after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals earlier that year. At the time, the United States was led by President Joe Biden.
White House visits by sports champions became a point of controversy during Trump's first presidential term. After winning the 2017 NBA title, the Golden State Warriors chose not to attend a White House celebration.
The Warriors were also not invited following their 2018 championship. However, they later visited the White House in 2023 to celebrate their 2022 title during Biden's presidency.
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