By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
For the first time since 2016, the NBA champions are going to make the traditional visit to the White House. According to ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks will be going to the White House on November 8 in a re-establishment of the annual celebration with the USA president.
The reason why championship teams like the Golden State Warriors (2017, 2018) or the Toronto Raptors (2019) skipped their trip to the White House this last couple of years was the presence of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Several NBA players and coaches have criticized Trump and his positions, especially when it came to racial and social injustice issues.
“Nah, I won’t do that,” Kevin Durant had said on if he’s going to visit the White House after his first championship title with the Golden State Warriors in 2017. “I don’t respect who’s in office right now.”
Trump had spoken against NBA players who were vocal on their political beliefs, insulting LeBron James specifically on Twitter. The Los Angeles Lakers were planned to visit the White House and President Joe Biden in April but the trip was canceled due to travel complications caused by COVID-19.
LeBron was a part of the last White House visit by an NBA championship team in November 2016, when he and the Cleveland Cavaliers were hosted by Barrack Obama.