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June 7, 2018

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Warriors, Cavs to snub WH visit

Stephen Curry and LeBron James spoke their minds last year. They have not changed their minds this year.

No matter whose team wins the NBA championship, neither superstar will be at the White House anytime soon.

On the day when the Philadelphia Eagles were supposed to be there to commemorate winning the Super Bowl 鈥 a visit that was canceled by President Donald Trump and had the White House accusing players who weren鈥檛 planning on attending of abandoning their fans 鈥 Curry and James were among those speaking out at the NBA Finals in support of the Eagles.

鈥淚鈥檓 not surprised. It鈥檚 typical of him,鈥 James, the Cleveland star, said on Tuesday of Trump鈥檚 decision. 鈥淚 know no matter who wins this series, no one wants the invite anyway. So it won鈥檛 be Golden State or Cleveland going.鈥

On the eve of Game 3 of the Warriors-Cavaliers series, politics dominated the conversation.

Curry raised Trump鈥檚 ire last year when he said he wouldn鈥檛 go to the White House, prompting the president to disinvite him and the champions Golden State Warriors.

Curry said on Tuesday that he spoke with a current Eagles players about the team鈥檚 decision-making process and how it went deeper than disagreeing with Trump policies and the ongoing issue of some NFL players choosing not to stand for the pregame playing of 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner.鈥

鈥淚t鈥檚 an important conversation, but you can鈥檛 control what other people try to do, or try to control the narrative or things like that,鈥 Curry said.

Curry said the team has been on the same page after his comments last year and Trump鈥檚 subsequent revoking of the Warriors鈥 invitation. 鈥淎nd every team that鈥檚 won a championship since then has gone through that.鈥

There has been clear tension between many star athletes and the current administration throughout the Trump presidency. Trump has often blasted the NFL players who have kneeled for the national anthem, a protest that started in 2016 when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so to raise awareness of racism 鈥 more specifically, the killing of black men by police.

Trump said the Eagles鈥 event was called off because some of their players 鈥渄isagree with their president because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.鈥

No Eagles players knelt during the anthem last season.


 

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