Warriors consider snubbing US President Donald Trump

THE Golden State Warriors are being ripped into two directions from within after stunning reports the team will turn its back on Donald Trump.

Victory is sweet.

THE Golden State Warriors got to enjoy their championship celebrations for all of an hour before the team was forced to confront its next controversy.

The team, guided by a reported unanimous decision from the playing group, will snub any offer to be received by US President Donald Trump at the White House.

The Warriors on Tuesday (AEDT) became the most celebrated team in America after proving their might to overthrow the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 in the NBA Finals series.

Reports emerged soon after their stunning victory over LeBron James’ team in Game 5 that Warriors players had already decided not to participate in the honour of meeting the US President in a formal reception at the White House — as they did in 2015 when Barack Obama was in his second term as President and the team again defeated the Cavaliers to be crowned champions of the NBA.

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— Downtown Josh Brown (@ReformedBroker) June 13, 2017

However, as the controversial snub was building into a political storm, the Warriors released a statement refuting the reports that a final decision had been made by the team to skip any invitation to meet Trump in Washington.

The Warriors statement did not address the reports that the Warriors playing group has already made up its mind and stated simply that the franchise will “will make those decisions when and if necessary”.

“Today is all about celebrating our championship,” the statement claimed.

“We have not received an invitation to the White House, but will make those decisions when and if necessary.”

While most players refused to discuss their reported decision to shun the White House, some players provided hints the playing group isn’t interested.

The Warriors’ greatest asset.

Star guard Andrew Iguodala said before his team’s victory in Game 5 that it is likely the situation will play out behind closed doors before both the White House and Warriors agree to a position that spares blushes on both sides.

“Maybe (Trump) doesn’t (invite us) and we don’t go, or we don’t say anything and make a big deal of it, and he doesn’t make a big deal of it and we go our separate ways,” Iguodala told USA Today.

“Y’all might write about it. I might call him and say, ‘If they ask, just say our schedules conflicted.’ And then if y’all write something, we’ll say ‘Fake News.’”

“We’re going to do what our leader (Stephen Curry) does. I think we handle (the White House situation) when it gets there. I mean, it may be different. There might be somebody different in (office). That’s a realistic thing to say though, right? So you don’t know what’s going to happen.”

When asked if he wants to participate in the White House visit, Iguodala said: “Hell nah”.

Fired up teammate David West told The Undefeated he would consider snubbing the visit even if his teammates do end up being received at the White House.

Champions.

“I don’t know. I probably won’t,” West said

“But I’m going to enjoy this. They’re going to have to get me down from this cloud. I can’t describe it.”

West has previously been outspoken about his lack of support for the new US President.

“All the tactics that he used to get elected are the very things that someone like me, who works with youth on a consistent basis, are the things that we try to talk our young folks out of being,” West said earlier this season.

“We try to talk our young people out of being bullies. We try to talk our young men out of disrespecting women. We try to talk our young people into being accepting of other people’s opinions and other people’s walks of life.”

“He is the complete opposite of all of that,” West added.

Warriors star Curry has also previously insinuated Trump is an “ass”.

Shooting fire.

Curry was put in an awkward position when the chief executive of his shoe partner Under Armour came out and described Trump as “a great asset”.

Curry responded by saying: “I agree with that description if you remove the ‘et’” from asset.”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr has also been critical of Trump.

He last month labelled Trump a “blowhard” and declared he is “ill-suited” to be President.

“Has anyone ever thought that Donald Trump was a great leader?” Kerr questioned at the time.

Despite the Warriors players strong statements in the past, a precedent has been set that outstanding performers in sport would continue to be honoured at the White House despite Trump winning office.

Super Bowl champions New England made the trip to the White House earlier this year and the newly crowned NHL champions Pittsburgh have already declared they would be honoured to be offered the chance to meet the President if an offer comes their way.

For now the party continues in Oakland with the team to be honoured with a street parade on Friday (AEDT), but this is a story that won’t be going away any time soon.