WARRIORS RESPOND TO TRUMP: 'There is nothing more American than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely'
Win McNamee/Getty Images
"While we intended to meet as a team at the first opportunity we had this morning to collaboratively discuss a potential visit to the White House, we accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited. We believe there is nothing more American than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them," the statement said.
Curry told ESPN on Friday that he did not want to attend any White House visit due to his disagreement with Trump's policies. The Warriors had not made a decision on the visit at that time nor had the White House extended an invitation.
Trump's tweet set off major backlash in the NBA community, with players responding to the president via Twitter.
"U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite," tweeted LeBron James. "Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!"
Other players including Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant were critical of Trump.
The president did not restrict his sports commentary to the NBA, Trump also picked a fight with NFL players who protest the national anthem at a rally on Friday and subsequent tweets on Saturday.
Here's the full statement from the Warriors:
While we intended to meet as a team at the first opportunity we had this morning to collaboratively discuss a potential visit to the White House, we accept that President Trump has made it clear that we are not invited. We believe there is nothing more American than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them. We're disappointed that we did not have an opportunity during this process to share our views or have open dialogue on issues impacting our communities that we felt would be important to raise.
In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we'll constructively use our trip to the nation's capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion - the values that we embrace as an organization.
- I quit McKinsey after 1.5 years. I was making over $200k but my mental health was shattered.
- Some Tesla factory workers realized they were laid off when security scanned their badges and sent them back on shuttles, sources say
- I tutor the children of some of Dubai's richest people. One of them paid me $3,000 to do his homework.
- Top 10 Must-visit places in Kashmir in 2024
- The Psychology of Impulse Buying
- Indo-Gangetic Plains, home to half the Indian population, to soon become hotspot of extreme climate events: study
- 7 Vegetables you shouldn’t peel before eating to get the most nutrients
- Gut check: 10 High-fiber foods to add to your diet to support digestive balance