Steph Curry, All-Star guard of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, does not want to go to the White House to celebrate with President Donald Trump. Curry made that clear during a press conference on Friday, reports Bleacher Reporter.
“I don’t want to go, that’s the nucleus of my belief,” Curry said to reporters.
Stephen Curry doesn’t hold back on whether he’ll vote to visit White House. pic.twitter.com/n2PBAtYQdA
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 22, 2017
The White House has not extended a formal invite to the champions, but previously this June, Curry told reporters that he “probably” wouldn’t go, even if they do get an invite. He re-emphasized on Friday that he’ll vote against them going.
In the video posted to Twitter by Chris Haynes, an NBA reporter for ESPN, and posted by Bleacher Report, Curry said that if he were just him going, it would be a short conversation, but it is different since it is the team’s decision.
The tradition of championship-winning teams and athletes visiting the White House started over 150 years ago, when president Andrew Johnson hosted the Brooklyn Atlantics and Washington Nationals baseball teams, reports Bleacher Report.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in an interview that he thinks teams should visit the White House, but does respect everyone’s right to make the decision themselves, Bleacher Report writes.
“It concerns me that something like going to the White House after winning a championship, something that has been a great tradition, would become one that is partisan,” he said, according to Bleacher Report. However, he did say that while he thinks the teams should make this decision together, he understands if individual players still decide not to go.
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