Lakers Reportedly Eye White House Visit After Joe Biden Is Sworn in as President
January 7, 2021
The Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to visit the White House to celebrate their 2020 NBA championship once Joe Biden takes office on Jan. 20, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
"Members of the franchise—from players to management—see it as a pleasure and an honor to have their accomplishment recognized by the incoming president, but reconvening the tradition this season shall depend on logistics, sources said," Haynes wrote.
It's unclear when the Lakers will be in the nation's capital to play the Washington Wizards. The NBA has only released the first half of the regular-season schedule, and the lone encounter between Washington and L.A. is at Staples Center.
A White House ceremony for major sports champions was often routine prior to Donald Trump winning the presidency. Since then, the tradition has been more sporadic.
Following their Finals win in 2016, the Cleveland Cavaliers moved up their visit to occur before Trump succeeded President Barack Obama.
The Cavs were the last NBA team to visit the White House.
President Trump rescinded an invitation for the Golden State Warriors after Warriors star Stephen Curry said he didn't plan on taking part in any event. That led LeBron James to call the president a "bum."
Along with the Lakers' schedule aligning with that of President-elect Biden, Haynes reported COVID-19 protocols will be another determining factor as to whether the visit can happen.