Getty President Barack Obama meets with the Golden State Warriors at the White House in 2015.
The White House is once again open for NBA champions, and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is thrilled to see the return of the tradition.
It had long been common for NBA champions to pay a visit to the White House and get some time with the president in the months after winning a title, but that came to an end a little more than four years ago — with the Warriors playing a big part in it. President Donald Trump publicly disinvited the team after star Steph Curry expressed hesitation about wanting to make a visit, and no other NBA champions were invited during his tenure in office. The White House is back open with Joe Biden taking office, and the Milwaukee Bucks this week became the first team since 2016 to make a visit.
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Kerr Happy to See White House Open Again
The Bucks made the trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Monday, taking advantage of a day off after playing the Washington Wizards to visit Biden in the White House. Kerr said he was “glad that tradition is back in play,” noting that it’s a special moment for NBA champions.
“Going to the White House is a huge thrill for everybody,” Kerr said, via Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I have pretty amazing memories.”
As Simmons noted, Kerr has become very familiar with the White House, having visited for all five presidents prior to Trump. The first visit was a somber one, as Kerr and his mother were invited by Ronald Reagan in 1984 after Kerr’s father was killed in a terrorist attack in Beirut. He later visited after winning titles with the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurts as a player, and after coaching the Warriors to the title in 2015.
The Bucks got the chance to meet with Biden, who shared some praise on social media for the team showing unity during their title run.
In sports — as in a democracy — unity is perhaps the most elusive and necessary of things. But that’s who the Milwaukee @Bucks are — united. And a powerful example on and off the court. I was honored to host them at the White House today to celebrate their 2021 NBA Championship.
Warriors Played Role in Breaking the Tradition
The Warriors played a significant role in the break in tradition during Trump’s time in office. After Curry publicly said that he did not want to visit, Trump took to Twitter to disinvite the entire team.
“Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” Trump wrote during a vacation at his golf club in New Jersey, via NBA.com.
That prompted Curry’s on-court rival LeBron James to speak up in his defense, calling Trump a “bum” for so publicly taking away the offer from the Warriors. Afterward, Curry expressed his appreciation for James being willing to risk a backlash in order to speak up to the president.
“That’s a pretty strong statement,” Curry said. “I think it’s bold, it’s courageous for any guy to speak up, let alone a guy that has as much to lose as LeBron does and other notable figures in the league. We all have to kind of stand as one the best we can.”
Vote for Joe. Your future is depending on it.
Curry stepped into politics again for the 2020 race, encouraging people to vote and publicly endorsing Biden.
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