Iguodala on potential Warriors visit to Trump's White House: 'Hell nah'
'HELL NAH.' Andre Iguodala expresses his objection to a potential White House visit under US President Donald Trump. He is seen here celebrating on top of the Oracle Arena scorer's table after clinching the title. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines – The Golden State Warriors have yet to receive an invitation from US President Donald Trump's White House, but as early as now there is already a chance they would skip the visit.
Back-up forward Andre Iguodala expressed his personal objection to the prospect of potentially visiting the White House, as is custom for NBA champion teams.
"Hell nah," was Iguodala's response when asked whether he would personally agree to join the visit, according to a story from USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick.
Reports surfaced almost immediately after Golden State reclaimed the NBA title that the team has "unanimously" declined to visit the White House. But the team issued a statement denying such a decision has been made.
Iguodala, who put on an impressive performance in the title-clinching Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals on Monday, June 12 (Tuesday in Manila) against the Cleveland Cavaliers, said the team will follow what their leader, two-time Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry, will do.
"We're going to do what our leader does," Iguodala was quoted as saying in the report. "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."
The Warriors last visited the White House as champions in 2015, when Barack Obama was still in office.
Curry has since formed a friendship with the former president, going on golf trips together.
Iguodala, as well as Curry and coach Steve Kerr, have been criticizing the Trump administration in past months.
Iguodala admitted, with a hint of sarcasm, that Trump might not invite the Warriors altogether.
"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," he said.
"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.'"
It took 8 months for Golden State to pay Obama a visit when they won the title in 2015, making an appearance only in February 2016. Last year's champions, the Cavaliers, were there much sooner when they made the trip in November 2016. – Rappler.com
