Bigoted Golden State Warriors visit Joe Biden at the White House

In 2017 and 2018, the team led by Steve Kerr refused to attend the champions' celebration due to the presence of Donald Trump.

This Tuesday, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris received at the White House the Golden State Warriors to congratulate them on their NBA championship. Unlike 2017 and 2018, when the team declined to attend the White House due to their dislike for Donald Trump, the basketball stars were happily accepted Biden's invitation.

The Democratic president kicked off the ceremony by entering the room alongside the team's star, Stephen Curry. In a grandstand awaiting them were Harris, head coach Steve Kerr, the franchise's owners and the rest of the players, including Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

During his speech, with the Larry O'Brien Trophy at his side, Biden heaped praise upon the Warriors, highlighting both their performance on the court and their political stances off of it. In addition, he said that the Kerr-led team is an example for all Americans:

Look at what this team does: speaking out against racism, standing up for equality — I mean speaking out loudly against racism; standing up for equality; encouraging people to vote; empowering children and their families to eat healthy, learn, and play in safe places; rallying the country against gun violence.

Last year, the Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics four games to two in the NBA Finals to win their fourth ring in eight years (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022). Curry won the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (Finals MVP) award for the series.

Confrontation with Trump

The visit to the White House by the NBA champions is a tradition. Usually, when the team that won the trophy the previous season travels to the nation's capital to face the Washington Wizards, they take the opportunity to shake hands with the standing president.

However, in 2017 and 2018, the Warriors refused to follow tradition, putting their political ideology first. Curry and Kerr are both major critics of Trump, which is why they declined his invitations to the White House,

After the 2017 title, Curry stated that the team had not yet made the decision about visiting Trump. However, he said that in an eventual vote among the members of the team, he would vote not to attend. Upon hearing these statements, the Republican wrote on Twitter that visiting the White House is considered "a great honor." Taking Curry's stance into account, he revoked the invitation.

After the 2018 title, the squad also did not go to the White House. However, during their stay in Washington, the players took the opportunity to visit former President Barack Obama. At least 14 members of the Warriors met with the Democrat on that occasion, including Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.