No NBA championship team has visited the White House during President Trump's terms, a streak that may end this year.
Key points
No NBA championship team visited the White House during Trump's presidency
This streak began in 2017
Possibility of a visit this year
Did you know that no NBA championship team has visited the White House during either of President Trump's terms?
Group of basketball players celebrating with championship trophies on the court, wearing team-themed shirts and caps
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That's right, not ONE. Let's take it back to 2017, Trump's first year in office.
Two men in suits having a conversation outdoors, with a Marine in dress uniform in the background
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The Golden State Warriors won that year, and their White House invitation was a whole thing.
Basketball players celebrating on court with trophy, surrounded by crowd. Player in black shirt embraces another with a towel draped over his shoulder
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First, Warriors star Stephen Curry stated that he would not be interested in going to Trump's White House. The president, who is famous for his cool demeanor (ha!), got on Twitter the following day and stated that he was rescinding their invitation (although they had already declined).
Tweet by Donald J. Trump stating the White House invitation for Stephen Curry is withdrawn due to hesitation
"My stance is the same as it was [Friday]," Curry said after Trump's tweet. "And even kind of cemented even further about how things in our country are going, especially with [Trump] representing us in a very damaging way. I don't know why he feels the need to target certain individuals rather than others. I have an idea of why, but it's kind of beneath a leader of a country to go that route. That's not what leaders do."
Basketball player wearing Golden State jersey number 30 stands on court, smiling with hands on hips
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Lebron James even chimed in at the time. Which was interesting because he had just lost to Curry and the Warriors in the NBA Finals.
LeBron James's tweet addressing Stephen Curry about a White House visit, expressing disappointment
The following year, 2018, the Golden State Warriors won again and declined to visit the White House for a second year.
Basketball players, wearing championship apparel, celebrate winning a title with trophies, posing for photos surrounded by media
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In 2019, the Toronto Raptors captured the first-ever NBA championship for Canada. They also declined to see Trump at the White House (they also didn't go to Parliament Hill to see Prime Minister Trudeau).
Basketball player holding a trophy, surrounded by teammates wearing white shirts and caps, celebrating a sports victory on a court
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In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers won but didn't visit the White House because of two main reasons:
Basketball player holding two trophies on a court, surrounded by teammates wearing championship shirts and caps
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The first reason being, it was the height of the pandemic and safety was a concern. If you recall, the NBA playoffs were moved to Disney World in a "bubble" where players could not leave the campus and fans and family were not allowed in to attend games.
Athlete wearing a graphic t-shirt with "Strive for Greatness" and a mask, seemingly in a sports venue
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The second reason being, Trump and the Lakers' Lebron James dislike each other, to say the least.
Basketball players kneel with linked arms, wearing "Black Lives Matter" shirts, showing solidarity before a game
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Here's where things get a little funny. Joe Biden won the presidency in 2020 and took office in 2021. From 2021 through 2024, the NBA championship team visited the White House nearly every single year.
A group of basketball players stands with a public figure holding a custom jersey with "Biden 46" on it, indicating a sports event celebration
Athlete in a suit speaks at a podium with microphones, surrounded by formally dressed individuals, including a well-known public figure
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Then Trump won a second term in 2024 and took office in 2025. That year, the Oklahoma City Thunder won and declined to go to Trump's White House.
Basketball team celebrates with trophy on stage, players wearing "Champions" shirts and caps, raising index fingers in victory
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Now here we are, in 2026. The playoffs are upon us, and The Athletic recently did a survey asking NBA players how they felt about going to the White House this year.
The image shows the NBA Championship Trophy, featuring a basketball atop a tall, gold-plated base with engraved details, set against a brick wall
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118 players answered the question, which is roughly about a quarter of the league. 63 of them (53.4%) said âyes,â they would visit the White House if their team won a championship. 55 of them (46.6%) said âno.â Another 18 players were asked, but declined to answer.
White House exterior with a cloudy sky
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Although it's just a slight majority, and only a quarter of the league answered the question, it does hint that we might see an NBA championship team head to the White House this year.
A person stands in a formal room in front of a table with fast food items stacked on trays
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The Athletic reports that although they didnât ask players if they supported Trump or not, 32 of the 109 respondents who offered comments said they didnât. Not one player said they supported Trump.
Protesters in a crowded street hold signs with political messages, including "NO KINGS" and "LA â€ïž immigrants."
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âIâve been (to the White House) one time and Iâd like to go again because that means Iâve won again," stated a player. "Plus, I got some stuff Iâd want to say to Trump [chuckles].â
Basketball game: Indiana player attempts a layup as a Thunder player tries to block. Crowd in the background
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The NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, and NASCAR have all had champions visit the White House at least once during the Trump years. The NBA and WNBA remain the only major sports leagues to decline to meet with Trump at the White House.
Group of people at a White House event; one holds a Patriots football helmet
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It's also worth noting that the NBA has the highest percentage of Black players in major sports leagues, with approximately 70â78% of its players being Black. The NFL follows with around 59%. However, the NHL (less than 5%) and MLB (around 8%) have a majority of white players.
NBA players kneel on the court with "Black Lives Matter" written on the floor before a game
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Do you think this will be the first year an NBA championship team heads to the White House? Let me know in the comment section.