Politics will have to wait until another day for the Golden State Warriors.
One day after winning their second NBA championship in three seasons, the Warriors issued a statement saying they are focused on enjoying their title rather than deciding whether or not to attend a White House celebration.
Golden State locked up its fifth championship in franchise history with a 129-120 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.
“Today is all about celebrating our championship. We have not received an invitation to the White House, but will make those decisions when and if necessary,” the Warriors’ statement read.
Championship celebrations at the White House have become a tradition in American sports, with the first believed to have occurred in 1925 when President Calvin Coolidge hosted the Washington Senators.
However, controversial policies and statements by President Donald Trump have created uncertainty about the future of White House title celebrations under this administration in some leagues, including in the predominantly African American NBA.
The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs chose to visit the White House in January to celebrate their historic 2016 title with former Illinois senator and outgoing President Barack Obama before he left office.
On Monday, Trump hosted the 2016 NCAA football champion Clemson Tigers for a title celebration at the White House.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr is a noted critic of Trump and his policies.
“Trump couldn’t be more ill-suited to be president, because he’s a blowhard,” Kerr told reporters in May. “You don’t see some of the qualities you talk about, the resilience, the ability to communicate, the compassion. None of that. … To be a great leader, there have to be some qualities in there. Has anyone ever thought that Donald Trump was a great leader?”
