There is a long-standing tradition of championship American sports teams visiting the White House in celebration of their victory. However, the current political climate is a contentious one, and there are questions about whether or not a championship NBA team would visit President Donald Trump’s White House. Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, addressing a hypothetical situation, believes that he likely would accept the invitation.
There are many people today who don’t agree with the current administration for a variety of reasons, including a number of athletes. According to a piece by Ben Strauss of Politico, Bryant would likely make the trip despite the controversy:
“That visit is more than how you feel about the current administration,” Bryant told Politico. “It’s about the guys next to you, about the flag, about the kids out there who look up to you and the United States.”
Bryant added, in reference to visiting with President Trump: “But, honestly, it’s a tough call.”
When he played in the NBA, Bryant was known for being one of the most cerebral players of all time, and that hasn’t changed in retirement. He set up meetings with then-President Barack Obama to learn about how he manages his daily life:
“In sports, you get better by working in the gym. I wanted to know how he got better, from managing his schedule to what he reads,” Bryant said of Obama. “And because he gets sports, and we can talk about that, too, it makes it easier to have that connection.”
It’s this mentality that allowed Bryant to become one of the very best basketball players to ever lace up the high tops, and it’s no surprise that his success has continued into retirement.
With the Golden State Warriors up 3-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, it appears as though it won’t be long before Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have to make their own decisions about whether or not to visit President Trump’s White House. With head coach Steve Kerr being extremely outspoken against Trump, it will be interesting to see what happens.