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Thunder won't visit the White House during trip to nation's capital, a spokesperson says

  • The Associated Press

  • Canadian Press

  • March 20, 2026

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault, calls out to his team as they play the Orlando Magic during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder will not visit the White House during their road trip to the nation's capital this weekend, a team spokesperson said Friday.

The team and the White House had discussions about a celebration of the 2025 champs, but "timing" prevented it from happening.

"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 out," the Thunder said in a statement.

Visiting the White House has been a long-standing tradition for NBA champions, dating back to Boston's trip in 1963. Teams typically schedule the celebration when a regular-season game brings them to the nation's capital. The Thunder play Washington on Saturday.

Several teams have declined invitations in recent years, most notably the NBA's Golden State Warriors in 2017.

Last month, the gold-medal-winning U.S. men's hockey team attended the State of the Union following an invitation from President Donald Trump. The team also attended an event in the Oval Office with Trump and had lunch at the White House.

Trump also invited the gold-medal-winning U.S. women's hockey team to the State of the Union, but the women decided not to attend, citing "the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."

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