Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors did not make the traditional visit to the White House to celebrate their 2017 NBA championship, as players made clear their opposition to going and president Donald Trump reacted by “withdrawing” their invitation.
Instead, on their recent trip to D.C., the team toured the National Museum of African American History and Culture with a group of children from Seat Pleasant Rec Center – where KD’s basketball journey began.
Durant was happy to be able to provide an opportunity that he never had growing up, via The Washington Post‘s Tim Bontemps:
“We never had those opportunities, coming from Seat Pleasant,” Durant said Tuesday night. “Getting to hang around with the best team in the NBA, the world champions, we never got that opportunity at that age. To be able to provide them that type of experience, it’s going to do a lot for those kids.
“They’re going to remember this for the rest of their lives.”
Asked if it felt strange not going to the White House, Durant responded:
“Not at all. Because my view of the championship was exactly what we did. Us as a team, on the court. That’s how I viewed the championship. Everything outside of that is extra. I’m doing whatever my brothers want to do. I’m doing whatever my team wants to do. I’m doing whatever the organization wants to do. We’re celebrating it how we want to celebrate it, and in a unique way.
“To be honest, we didn’t even think about the championship. If we’d gone to the White House, we’d have had the trophy there, we’d have reminisced about what we did in the past. But this was about learning, and inspiring youth, and it was amazing.”
RELATED
LeBron James And Kevin Durant Speak Out Against Donald Trump
