The Oklahoma City Thunder will not visit the White House during their upcoming trip to Washington, D.C., citing scheduling conflicts, according to a report published on Friday. The reigning NBA champions are set to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday, but will not take part in the customary championship visit.
“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,” the Thunder said in a statement to The Athletic.
The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Agence France-Presse. The Thunder secured the 2025 NBA championship after defeating the Indiana Pacers in a seven-game Finals series.
The tradition of championship teams visiting the White House dates back to 1963, when the Boston Celtics first made the trip. The most recent NBA champions to follow the tradition were the Celtics, who visited Joe Biden in November 2024.
In recent years, the custom has become increasingly politicized. After several Golden State Warriors players expressed reluctance about a White House visit following their 2017 title, Donald Trump said the invitation had been withdrawn. The Warriors were not invited in 2018 but later visited the White House in 2022 after winning another championship under Biden.
A similar situation occurred in the NFL, when the Philadelphia Eagles declined a White House visit in 2018 during Trump’s first term. However, Trump later hosted the team following their 2025 Super Bowl victory, describing them as “incredible.”
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More recently, the United States men’s national ice hockey team visited the White House after capturing gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics and also attended the State of the Union address.
President Trump extended a similar invitation to the United States women’s national ice hockey team, but they declined, citing “timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.”
Trump had earlier drawn criticism during a congratulatory phone call with the men’s team, remarking that he would “probably be impeached” if he did not invite the women’s team as well, adding another layer of scrutiny to the situation.
Oklahoma City Thunder Join List Of Teams Skipping White House Visits
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s decision places them among a growing list of franchises and programs that have either declined or missed traditional White House visits.
In 2017, the Golden State Warriors opted not to attend during Donald Trump’s first term after Stephen Curry publicly expressed disinterest in visiting. Trump subsequently withdrew the invitation, while head coach Steve Kerr later indicated the team likely would not have attended regardless.
No invitation followed the Warriors’ 2018 championship, though their relationship with the tradition shifted when they visited the White House in 2022 under Joe Biden. Other programs have taken similar stances.
The North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball team did not attend a White House event after their 2017 title, while the Philadelphia Eagles declined their visit in 2018. In 2023, the Georgia Bulldogs football team also chose not to make the trip following their championship season.
The Thunder themselves previously visited the White House in 2022 for a policy discussion and a Tulsa program screening, highlighting a different form of engagement with the institution.
More recently, the United States men’s national ice hockey team attended the State of the Union before later meeting Trump at the White House following their Olympic gold medal win in Milan-Cortina. The team also took part in an Oval Office gathering and shared a meal, continuing the long-standing tradition of championship visits.
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The United States women’s national ice hockey team also declined a similar White House invitation, citing scheduling and professional commitments. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to face the Washington Wizards at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday as they continue their regular-season schedule.
