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A season ago, the clear best team in basketball, from start to finish, was the Oklahoma City Thunder.
OKC capped off its special season with a championship, which often comes with it a trip to the White House to celebrate with President Donald Trump.
This time around, though, the Thunder won't be going to the White House.
“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 Thunder said in a statement, via The Athletic.
The prior season's champion, the Boston Celtics, visited the White House in November 2024 while Joe Biden was still in office.
The reason this has come up so late in the following season for the Thunder is the way their schedule shook out.
Oklahoma City plays its lone game at the Washington Wizards on Saturday at 5 p.m. Because the teams are in opposite conferences, they just play one game in each team's home arena each season.
For what it's worth, the Thunder are then off on Sunday before playing at the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
The Thunder are in a relaxed stretch. They were also off Thursday and are off Friday after beating the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Wednesday, 121-92.
This year's Thunder might be the favorites to repeat as champion, as long as they can stay healthy.
But whether that happens or not, the 2025 champions will not be recognized at the White House after the Thunder's decision this week.
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