NBA legend Charles Barkley has never been one to shy away from expressing his opinions, and his recent comments on the tradition of championship teams visiting the White House are no exception. Barkley believes that NBA champion teams should honor the time-honored tradition of visiting the White House, regardless of who holds the office of President.
During a recent episode of “The Steam Room” podcast, co-hosted by Ernie Johnson, Barkley shared his thoughts on the matter. He emphasized the importance of respecting the office of the President, even if there are disagreements with the individual occupying it.
“I don’t care who the president is. He’s the President of the United States. It’s bothered me, the last 10 years, they’re like, ‘Well, I’m not going because this certain person is president.’ Dude, it’s the President of the United States,” Barkley stated.
Barkley’s comments come in the wake of several instances where championship teams, including NBA teams, have declined invitations to the White House due to political disagreements. Notably, during Donald Trump’s first term as President from 2017 to 2021, multiple NBA teams, such as the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors, chose not to attend the traditional White House visit.
Despite his own disagreements with certain political figures, Barkley believes that the tradition of visiting the White House should be upheld as a sign of respect for the office and the country.
“Even though I disagree with President Trump on some things, if I met him, I would still give him the respect and dignity he deserves. We can disagree, but it bothers me when these teams don’t want to go to the White House,” Barkley explained.
On the latest episode of “The Steam Room” podcast, Barkley voiced his frustration with teams declining White House invitations based on who occupies the Oval Office, calling the decision “stupid.”
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