For the first time in franchise history, the Oklahoma City Thunder have earned a White House invitation, and they’re officially turning it down. For nearly 60 years, a trip to the White House has been the final victory lap for an NBA champion. But for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder — a franchise that has become synonymous with its star guard’s identity on and off the court — that tradition is taking a backseat to a reason that has become a familiar refrain for teams in the modern era.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will skip the customary White House visit during their Washington trip this weekend, a team spokesperson confirmed. The Athletic shared the update.

“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 OKC Thunder spokesperson confirmed.

According to reports, they are canceling their meeting with President Donald Trump due to a “timing issue.” The Thunder are in the middle of a five-game road trip spanning Orlando, Brooklyn, Washington, Philadelphia, and Boston between March 17 and March 25. The tight turnaround before playing the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday may have contributed to the scheduling constraints.

A visit to the White House has remained a cherished NBA ritual since 1963. Back then, the Boston Celtics marked their championship with a presidential invite. Since then, teams have usually scheduled the trip to coincide with a regular-season stop in Washington.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder earned that honor after clinching the franchise’s first title last June. They defeated the Indiana Pacers in a gripping seven-game Finals. However, the most recent visit came from the Celtics, who celebrated their June triumph over the Dallas Mavericks with a White House appearance in November 2024. At the time, Joe Biden hosted the champions, continuing the tradition.

However, this episode of a team turning down the presidential visit won’t be the first of its kind. Many before the OKC Thunder have done the same, including the Golden State Warriors.

Oklahoma City Thunder make it to the list of franchises cancelling White House visits

In 2017, the Golden State Warriors chose to skip a visit to the White House during Trump’s first term, but their decision was far from a simple scheduling call. Stephen Curry had publicly indicated he had no interest in visiting, prompting Trump to withdraw the invitation entirely.

Coach Steve Kerr, openly critical of the administration, said the team likely wouldn’t have attended even if the administration had been supportive. The Thunder’s stated reason, by contrast, is purely logistical, though the distinction has not stopped observers from drawing comparisons.

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A year later, after another championship, no invitation followed. However, the tone shifted in 2022, when the Warriors finally celebrated their crown at the White House under Joe Biden. Meanwhile, the pattern extended beyond the NBA.

The 2017 men’s team from the University of North Carolina and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 also turned down visits or saw invitations withdrawn. In some cases, officials never invited the champions at all.

Later, in 2023, the Georgia Bulldogs chose to pass on meeting Biden. Even earlier, in 2022, the Oklahoma City Thunder visited the White House for a policy discussion and a Tulsa program screening.

Last month, the United States men’s national ice hockey team attended the State of the Union. They later met Trump at the White House after winning Olympic gold in Milan-Cortina. They also joined a gathering in the Oval Office and shared a meal. On the other hand, the United States women’s national ice hockey team declined a similar invite, citing scheduling and professional commitments.

The Oklahoma City Thunder — the team that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has made his own — are choosing time over tradition. They are turning down the White House visit, as many before them have. So for now, the spotlight of sports shifts from the President’s abode. However, the game moves on as OKC meets the Washington Wizards at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday.