November 09, (THEWILL) – The Milwaukee Bucks visited the White House for the first time for any NBA champions since 2016 and President Biden greeted the team on Monday afternoon.
The Bucks uploaded photographs of guards Jrue Holiday, George Hill, and Pat Connaughton, as well as centre Brook Lopez, getting a tour of the building on Twitter in the hours leading up to the ceremony.
“I’m very excited,” Hill, who spent last season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers, said in a video the team posted.
“I think it’s a great opportunity, not just for the Bucks but for all of us in general to be able to experience this. I’m thankful the Bucks gave me an opportunity to come here with them and celebrate something that they did that was so big last year.”
The team’s most prominent player was already making preparations for the big occasion since Sunday. “Mister president, how are you doing, mister president?” two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said in an Instagram video captioned “Practicing our introductions” along with a laughing emoji. “Thank you for having us in Washington D.C.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers were the last NBA team to visit the White House on November 10, 2016, just two days after Donald Trump was elected president and while Barack Obama was still in office.
The Golden State Warriors did not honour their 2017 and 2018 titles with the typical ceremonial visit during the Trump administration, as coach Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and other members of the team were critical of Trump.
The team visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture in lieu of a White House visit in 2018. Durant, who is now a member of the Brooklyn Nets, said at the time that their decision had a meaning: “We’re celebrating [the championship] how we want to celebrate it.”
The 2019 NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors did not make the traditional visit, with guard Danny Green stating that it was “a hard no.”
The following year, the Los Angeles Lakers were unable to visit due to scheduling issues and coronavirus precautions.
“We’re very excited,” Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer said of the team’s invitation by the White House. “Very appreciative of the invite, I know that it’s an honor and it’s special. We’re looking forward to visiting the White House.”
Trips are usually planned around the schedules of teams, and the Bucks were in Washington on Sunday when they were defeated by the Wizards. They have Monday off before going to Philadelphia on Tuesday night for their next game and used the time to visit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
