The NBA has a longstanding tradition in which championship-winning teams pay a visit to the sitting president at the White House shortly after the NBA Finals. This season's winners are the Toronto Raptors, but it's not clear if head coach Nick Nurse and his players have received an invite to the U.S. capital.
In a recent interview, Nurse noted that he and his players already have plans of meeting with Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau. However, Nurse was not able to provide a direct answer when asked about visiting the White House:
Nurse says he hasn’t heard from the White House about a congratulatory meeting, but the team has been in contact with Ottawa.
“Definitely the Trudeau meeting, because they have been asking me about scheduling it,” Nurse told Toronto radio station Sportsnet 590 The Fan on Wednesday.
“I have heard nothing about the White House. We are Canada’s team anyway, right?”
It was not clear exactly who would attend the meeting or when it would happen.
Nurse wouldn’t say whether he would accept a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“We are here. Let’s go see Trudeau up in Ottawa.”
Forgoing a visit to the White House is not unprecedented. The Golden State Warriors did not attend the customary visit after winning last season's NBA championship. Instead, team members spent a day with local children at an African-American history museum.
Whether or not the Raptors will receive an invite to the White House remains to be seen.
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