Oklahoma City Thunder Decline White House Visit

NBA champions cite "timing issue" as reason for skipping traditional post-title celebration

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:41pm

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The Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champions, have declined an invitation to visit the White House, citing a "timing issue" as the reason. The team played a game in Brooklyn, New York on Wednesday and don't have another game until Saturday in Washington, D.C., leading them to claim the timing didn't work out for the traditional White House visit.

Why it matters

The decision by the Thunder to skip the White House visit continues a recent trend of NBA championship teams declining the invitation, often citing political disagreements with the administration. This move is seen by some as a form of political protest, breaking with the longstanding bipartisan tradition of celebrating athletic achievement at the White House.

The details

The Thunder released a statement to The Athletic explaining their reasoning: "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." This echoes a similar excuse used by the 2018 U.S. women's hockey gold medal team, who cited "previously scheduled academic and professional commitments" as the reason they couldn't visit. Critics have dismissed these types of explanations as weak attempts to avoid a politically charged situation.

  • The Thunder played a game in Brooklyn, New York on Wednesday, March 19, 2026.
  • The Thunder are scheduled to play the Washington Wizards on Saturday, March 22, 2026.
  • The Thunder's next game after the Wizards is on Monday, March 24, 2026 against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The players

Oklahoma City Thunder

The reigning NBA champions who have declined an invitation to visit the White House, citing a "timing issue".

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president whose administration extended the invitation to the Thunder to visit the White House.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Oklahoma City Thunder, Team statement

“Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate.”

— Team USA Women's Hockey, Team statement

What’s next

The White House has not yet responded publicly to the Thunder's decision to decline the invitation.

The takeaway

The Oklahoma City Thunder's decision to skip the traditional White House visit following their NBA championship continues a trend of politically-charged refusals by championship teams. While the team cites a "timing issue", critics view this as a weak excuse to avoid a potentially divisive political situation, breaking with the longstanding bipartisan tradition of celebrating athletic achievement at the White House.