No White House, no problem

Team spends day with students instead

WASHINGTON, D.C. >> The confidence in their body language told the whole story. So did the resolve and firm tone in their voice.

Did the Warriors have any regrets for skipping the customary White House visit to celebrate their 2017 NBA championship?

“No,” Warriors forward Kevin Durant said. “Not at all.”

Warriors guard Stephen Curry became the face of this controversy after publicly admitting before training camp he would refuse to visit the White House, regardless of team sentiment. The next morning, President Donald Trump singled out Curry in a tweet before formally rescinding an invitation. Though the Warriors have strong reservations about Trump’s policies, their public statements mostly addressed his divisive rhetoric toward minorities, women, the disabled, Muslims, as well as athletes who protest racial inequality and police brutality during the national anthem.

Therefore, the Warriors spent their off-day on Tuesday in a different way. The Warriors took a private tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

They invited 40 students from Durant’s hometown in Seat Pleasant, Md. as well as 10 other students with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which helps those who lost a loved one that served in the military. The Warriors also invited 30 other students from Seat Pleasant to Wednesday’s game against the Wizards.

“We wanted to do something that would be impactful and something we wanted to share,” Warriors forward David West said. “We felt like young people, we want to give them an opportunity to experience that.

“To experience us in that kind of environment would be most impactful.”