NBA commissioner Adam Silver: Championship teams should visit White House

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that while he doesn't believe the league should have a say in whether championship-winning teams decide to visit the White House, his personal belief is that they should make the trip if invited.

"Regardless of people's personal, political views, I think that these institutions are bigger than any individual politician, any individual elected official," Silver said during an interview with Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum, which was shared by The Players' Tribune on Friday. "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.

"I will say, though, even though I think that teams should make decisions as organizations, I would also respect an individual players' decision not to go."

Shortly after being crowned 2017 NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors announced that they were undecided on a potential White House visit and would "make those decisions when and if necessary."

As USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick wrote at the time, it's no secret where many members of the Warriors — from Stephen Curry to Steve Kerr — stand on President Trump and his principles, which could ultimately lead to the team declining an invitation. 

“Maybe (Trump) doesn’t (invite us) and we don’t go, or we don’t say anything and make a big deal of it, and he doesn’t make a big deal of it and we go our separate ways,” said Warriors forward Andre Iguodala. " ... We’re going to do what our leader (Curry) does. I think we handle (the White House situation) when it gets there. I mean, it may be different. There might be somebody different in (office). That’s a realistic thing to say though, right? So you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

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The tradition of sports teams visiting the White House dates to the 1800s. The Warriors made a visit after winning the 2015 NBA title, while the Cleveland Cavaliers went to the White House last year after beating Golden State in seven games. Both championships came during the Obama administration.

The championship-winning Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs also visited the White House under Obama.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' AJ Neuharth-Keusch on Twitter @tweetAJNK

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