Oklahoma City Thunder will not be making the traditional White House visit to celebrate their 2025 NBA championship, the team confirmed Friday, citing scheduling conflicts that prevented the customary trip from coming together.
A team spokesperson told The Athletic that the organization had been in contact with the White House and appreciated the outreach, but that the timing simply did not work out. The statement was cordial but left little room for ambiguity the visit is not happening, and the Thunder will move on without it.
A tradition with a complicated recent history
Visiting the White House after winning a major sports championship is one of the most enduring traditions in American professional sports. For the NBA, it dates all the way back to 1963, when the Boston Celtics became the first team to make the trip following a championship. For decades, it was a near-universal ritual a celebratory photo opportunity that doubled as a moment of civic pride and national recognition for the sport’s best team.
That tradition began to fracture during President Donald Trump’s first term in office. The Golden State Warriors declined their White House invitation following their 2017 championship, then were not extended one at all after winning again in 2018. The Toronto Raptors chose to celebrate their 2019 title with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instead of making the Washington trip. The Los Angeles Lakers skipped the visit in 2020, citing a combination of Covid-19 protocols and scheduling complications.
The tradition found its footing again during President Joe Biden’s years in office. The Milwaukee Bucks visited after their 2021 championship, and Golden State made a return trip after winning in 2022. Denver became the lone exception during that stretch, citing scheduling issues following its 2023 title. The Boston Celtics, who claimed the championship in 2024, completed their visit that fall while Biden was still in the White House.
Why the Thunders decision stands out
Oklahoma City would have been the first NBA team to visit the White House since Trump began his second term, which makes the Thunder’s decision to pass on the trip significantly more meaningful than a simple calendar conflict might suggest. The team kept its public statement brief and polite, but the optics are hard to ignore.
The Thunder are currently on a five-game road trip, the longest of their season. They played the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday and are scheduled to face the Washington Wizards on Saturday a game in the nation’s capital that would have been a natural and logistically straightforward moment to squeeze in a White House appearance. However, the team is also set to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, and the compressed schedule between those two games appears to have been a genuine obstacle.
Still, for a franchise playing in Washington on a Saturday with the White House just miles away, the decision not to make the visit will inevitably invite scrutiny and speculation beyond the official explanation of timing.
How the Thunder got here
Oklahoma City defeated the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June to claim the franchise’s first championship since relocating from Seattle in 2007. It was a defining moment for a young, dynamic roster built around one of the most captivating players in the league, and it announced the Thunder’s arrival as a genuine powerhouse in the modern NBA.
The championship capped a remarkable rise for a team that had spent years quietly assembling talent and depth. Their title run captured the attention of basketball fans across the country and gave Oklahoma City its first major professional sports championship in nearly two decades.
Thunder rolling toward another title run
Off the court controversy aside, everything about Oklahoma City‘s 2025-26 season suggests the Thunder are not resting on their championship laurels. They currently lead the NBA with 55 wins and became the first team to officially clinch a playoff berth earlier this week, putting them firmly on track for another deep postseason run.
Other sports franchises have had no hesitation visiting the White House during Trump’s second term. MLS champion Inter Miami CF made the trip earlier this month. But the NBA has now gone another full championship cycle without its title-winning team making the visit, and with the Thunder’s decision now confirmed, that streak looks set to continue.
