golden state warriors white house visit 2023

Golden State Warriors return to White House as NBA champs after avoiding Trump

Draymond Green told ABC News that the trip was an "incredible honor."

The Golden State Warriors returned to the White House as national champions on Tuesday -- their first trip back since Barack Obama's presidency, despite winning two championships while former President Donald Trump was in office.

The Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics during the 2022 NBA finals, claiming their fourth championship in the last eight seasons.

"I know the team we're honoring today understands what it takes to work together. Let me just say that the Golden State Warriors are always welcome in this White House," President Joe Biden said Tuesday in the East Room while welcoming the team and referencing their past conflicts with Trump .

Following their 2017 victory, the Warriors didn't make the trip to Washington after Trump withdrew the customary White House invitation when Stephen Curry, one of the team's stars, indicated he would vote against going.

In 2018, before the Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to become champions once again, Trump said he wouldn't invite either team, though the Cavaliers' LeBron James and Curry both said their teams weren't interested in attending .

The Warriors started their visit to Washington this week by defeating the Washington Wizards, 127-118, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which Biden noted on Tuesday. The president also acknowledged the advocacy work that the Warriors do off the court.

"Look at what this team does: speaking out against racism, standing up for equality. I mean speaking out loudly against racism. Standing up for equality, encouraging people to vote, empowering children and their families to eat healthy, learn and play in safe places, rallying the country against gun violence," he said.

Curry expressed his gratitude to the president for hosting his team and presented Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris with their own Warriors jerseys.

"We are a team, we do it together. And to be able to celebrate our championship together with you here, it means a lot," Curry said.

Before the East Room ceremony, Curry and Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr dropped by the White House briefing room, which was packed with reporters.

Curry spoke about the "opportunity to reflect on the accomplishment last year, to bring everybody together to celebrate that." He also said he wanted to acknowledge how sport brings "people together from all walks of life, all backgrounds, to provide aspiration, hope, love, togetherness."

"That's what our journey was last year," he said.

He also thanked the Biden administration for their work to free WNBA star Brittney Griner , who had been held in Russia.

"[It] means a lot to notice she's here and home safe for the family and all the work that went on behind the scenes to make that a reality," Curry said.

Kerr said he participated in a roundtable on gun violence and gun safety along with senior White House staffers and Warriors Klay Thompson and Moses Moody.

"We learned a lot about what this administration is doing to help create a safer environment in our country, something that's very close to my heart. And it's wonderful for me to learn a lot more than I knew. So coming in today -- it's a great day on many fronts," Kerr said.

The East Room ceremony was attended by players' families, Bay Area music legends like E-40 and members of California's congressional delegation.

"Dub Nation is in the house!" exclaimed the vice president, a Bay Area native, as she introduced the Warriors to the White House once again.

Speaking with reporters after the ceremony, the players said Tuesday's visit was "majestic."

"I've been here now four times in total and every time it's just majestic. It kind of grounds you a little bit more in the values of what drives you on a daily basis in your kind of places," Curry said.

Draymond Green told ABC News that the trip was an "incredible honor."

"As a kid growing up in Saginaw, Michigan, you only dream of seeing the White House, let alone have an opportunity to attend or be celebrated. And so for us to have this opportunity is absolutely incredible," he said.

Green said there just be might a future White House occupant in their ranks, too.

"I thought Steph's speech was incredible. And Steph -- I think Steph could one day run for president of the United States. What better person? Smart, he's put together, he doesn't really make mistakes. Like, why not?" Green said.

He had his sights set on another position, he joked.

"President Draymond? I don't know if anybody in this country want me as the president. Secretary of defense though," he said to laughs.

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Photos: NBA Champion Golden State Warriors visit the White House

January 17, 2023 / 3:00 PM PST / CBS News

US President Joe Biden, left, arrives with Stephen Curry, basketball player for the NBA's Golden State Warriors, while hosting the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. Biden is honoring the team to celebrate their 2022 NBA championship against the Boston Celtics. 

President Biden Hosts 2022 NBA Champions Golden State Warriors at the White House

Representative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, exits following an event hosting the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. 

US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an event hosting the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023.  

US President Joe Biden, center, and US Vice President Kamala Harris, right, hold custom jerseys while hosting the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. 

Paul Pelosi, husband of Representative Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, not pictured, during an event hosting the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. 

Representative Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, and her husband Paul Pelosi, top center, during an event hosting the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. 

NBA star Steph Curry speaks during a ceremony honoring the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House January 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. 

U.S. President Joe Biden poses for a photo with the Golden State Warriors during a ceremony honoring the team in the East Room of the White House January 17, 2023 in Washington, DC.

U.S. President Joe Biden jokes after posing for a photo with the Golden State Warriors during a ceremony honoring the team in the East Room of the White House January 17, 2023 in Washington, DC.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (R) and NBA star Steph Curry (L) applaud during a ceremony honoring the Golden State Warriors in the East Room of the White House January 17, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry (L) and US basketball coach Steve Kerr look on as White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 17, 2023.

Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry (L) looks on as US basketball coach Steve Kerr speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 17, 2023.

US President Joe Biden (R) shakes hands with Golden State Warriors basketball player Stephen Curry (L) as US Vice President Kamala Harris (C) looks on during a celebration for the Golden State Warriors 2022 NBA championship, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 17, 2023.

Golden State Warriors basketball player Stephen Curry (2R) takes a photo with a fan after an event with members of the Golden State Warriors basketball team to celebrate their 2022 NBA championship, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 17, 2023.

US President Joe Biden gestures prior to taking a photo with members of the Golden State Warriors basketball team to celebrate their 2022 NBA championship, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 17, 2023.

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry speaks during the daily White House press briefing on January 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. 

Biden honors NBA champions Golden State Warriors at White House – in pictures

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The Warriors returned to the White House on Tuesday for the traditional honorary visit made by the NBA champions after not making the trip during the Donald Trump years

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Warriors return to White House, meet with Biden after passing on Trump

Vice President Harris welcomed her hometown Golden State Warriors back to the White House on Tuesday to celebrate their 2022 NBA championship.

To open the news conference, Harris addressed the storms that have ravaged communities in California before she transitioned to an introduction of President Biden and the Warriors, who visited the White House for the first time since meeting with President Barack Obama in February 2016.

“As a very proud daughter of Oakland, California, it gives me immense personal pride as the vice president of the United States to say, ‘Dub Nation is in the house!’ ” she said. “My family and my Bay Area friends are among the many who are gathered here to congratulate our Golden State Warriors, the 2022 NBA champions.”

Buckner: What happens when Stephen Curry shows up in your town? Enchantment.

During his speech, Biden highlighted the team’s star players, its front-office personnel and Coach Steve Kerr. He commended Kerr and the players for their support of voting rights and stances against racism and gun violence. Curry later spoke of the franchise’s connection to Biden, drawing a line between its roots in Philadelphia and the president’s origins in Scranton, Pa. He presented the president and vice president with jerseys, giving Biden a No. 46 and Harris a No. 1.

Some new pieces for the Oval Office pic.twitter.com/1fpesW6BAs — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 17, 2023

Earlier Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre welcomed Kerr and Curry to the lectern ahead of the daily press briefing, where Curry thanked Biden for the administration’s efforts to free WNBA star Brittney Griner from a Russian prison . He said they also spoke about gun violence prevention.

The Warriors were the second NBA championship team to visit the White House since President Donald Trump left office in January 2021. That November, the Milwaukee Bucks visited four months after winning the title; they were the first NBA champions to do so since November 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrated with Obama. (The Los Angeles Lakers did not visit Biden at the White House to celebrate their 2020 championship because of scheduling conflicts and coronavirus protocols.)

The Toronto Raptors won the championship in 2019 and chose not to visit Trump. The Warriors won in 2017 and 2018 and skipped White House trips in favor of other activities.

Following the 2017 title, after Curry and his teammates said they wouldn’t go to the White House and Trump later uninvited them, the Warriors visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture with local schoolchildren in February 2018. After the Warriors’ 2018 championship, they instead visited Obama at his Washington office in January 2019.

From 2019: Nationals embraced by Trump at White House, where they can’t escape politics

During the Trump administration, some championship teams from other leagues did not make White House visits; that includes the North Carolina men’s and the South Carolina women’s basketball teams in 2017, both of which cited scheduling conflicts. In some cases, teams from sports whose champions were invited by previous administrations were not invited by Trump’s; in others, some players skipped the White House visit as their teammates made the trip.

Golden State Warriors visit Joe Biden White House after spurning Donald Trump

President Joe Biden compared his once-slim presidential hopes to the Golden State Warriors’ pursuit of a fourth NBA championship title in eight seasons.

“The last couple of years were pretty tough – struggled in 2020, missed the playoffs in 2021 and critics wondered if this was 'gone for good' as a championship team,” Biden said. “Fellas, I know what it feels like.”

Biden made his comments at the White House on Tuesday, honoring the Warriors for the 2022 title.

It was the first time the Warriors celebrated at the White House since their 2015 title when President Barack Obama was in office. Though the Warriors won titles in 2017 and 2018, they did not visit the White House during President Donald Trump’s years in office.

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“I always love coming to D.C. for a number of reasons,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Monday before playing the Washington Wizards. “I’ve got a lot of family here in town. It’s an amazing place to visit just seeing American history right before your eyes, and to be able to visit the White House is just an incredible honor. We’re thrilled.”

With now five titles as a player and four as a coach, Biden joked Warriors coach Steve Kerr was running out of fingers for championship rings. Biden also praised the Warriors for “speaking out against racism, standing up for equality, encouraging people to vote, empowering children and their families to eat healthy and to learn and to play in safe places, rallying the country against gun violence, and Coach (Kerr), I want to thank you again.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, a native of Oakland, California, made opening remarks and relished in her Warriors fandom. She told a story about trying to get to a Warriors game in congested Bay Area traffic when she was the state’s attorney general. Dismissing the pleas of her security detail, Harris said she got out of the car and took BART, the area’s public transportation rail system.

“We got to the game on time, and yes, the Warriors did win. It was a glorious day,” Harris said.

Longtime California congresswoman Nancy Pelosi was at the White House visit with her husband Paul. Both also attended Golden State's game against the Wizards.

Warriors star Steph Curry presented Biden and Harris with Warriors jerseys and noted the franchise's first championship was in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, referencing Biden as the 46th president. He grew up two hours from Philadelphia.

“I want to thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for the invitation to come here. It’s something that we don’t ever take for granted,” Curry said. “To have this opportunity to reflect on the accomplishment last year to bringing everybody together to celebrate that to also acknowledge the place sports has in bringing people from all walks of life, all backgrounds to provide inspiration, hope, love, togetherness and that’s what   our journey was last year, so to have another opportunity to celebrate that means a lot.”

Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt

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Golden state warriors | ‘good man’ or ‘danger to the community’ dueling views presented for pasadena radiologist in devil’s slide crash, golden state warriors, golden state warriors | warriors visit the white house for 2022 nba title celebration, president joe biden welcomed the golden state warriors to the white house tuesday afternoon to honor them for their 2022 nba title..

“Dub Nation is in the house,” Vice President — and Oakland native — Kamala Harris said with pride Tuesday afternoon when she introduced the 2022 NBA champions during a ceremony in the White House’s East Room.

Harris added, “On a personal note, I have been a Warriors fan my entire life, and this team has been a constant source of joy and pride, for me and for so many of us,” speaking to a crowd that included San Francisco Mayor London Breed and U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who was joined by her husband Paul, as well as Bay Area rap legends E-40, Too $hort and Mistah F.A.B.

President Joe Biden’s Administration rolled out the red carpet for the reigning NBA champions who spent about four hours at the White House in their first visit since 2016.

“The Golden State Warriors are always welcomed in this White House,” Biden said on Tuesday.

Warriors star Stephen Curry presented Biden, the nation’s 46th president, with a custom No. 46 Warriors jersey with his name emblazoned on the back. Curry suggested that Biden hang it in the Oval Office and said he’d be back next year to check.

Biden praised the Warriors for their accomplishments.

“Four NBA titles and six Finals in the last eight seasons,” he marveled. “That ain’t bad, man.”

The president also called the team’s Big Three — Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson — “something incredible” and drew parallels between the Warriors’ heart and hustle and that of the country.

“Critics wondered if this team was gone for good as a championship team,” Biden said. “And fellas, I know what it feels like. … But you never gave up, and you always believed.”

Biden also took time to acknowledge coach Steve Kerr, not only for his leadership but also for his fierce advocacy of gun control. That’s a subject particularly close to Kerr’s heart because his father was assassinated at American University of Beirut in Lebanon in 1984.

“It was incredibly flattering to hear the president introduce me and talk about my dad,” said Kerr, who, along with Thompson and Moses Moody, participated in a roundtable on gun violence with White House officials. “That’s one you write down and keep in the family history. Pretty special moment.”

Harris, discussing her “beloved” Warriors, recalled a time she diverted to BART to make sure she wasn’t late for a playoff game in Oakland after getting stuck in traffic.

Curry presented her with another custom jersey — No. 1 for being a top fan. Harris previously received a No. 49 jersey from the team upon becoming the 49th vice president.

“My pride in the Warriors today is not because they win,” Harris said, “but because these players, their coaches and this entire organization consistently stand for the principles of equity, equality and justice, which they do with great integrity and excellence.”

Before the ceremony in the East Room, Curry and Kerr addressed the media in the White House press briefing room. Curry thanked the president for his work in helping bring WNBA star Brittney Griner home from Russia, where she had been incarcerated for 10 months.

“It’s a big part of our basketball family, and it means a lot to know that she’s here and home safe with her family and all the work behind the scenes to make that a reality,” Curry said. “I just want to say thank you there.”

Although this was the Warriors’ fourth title in eight years, this is only the second trip to the White House for Golden State during the run and the first since 2016 when the 2015 title-winning team met with then-President Barack Obama.

The Warriors skipped out on the honorary visit in 2017; President Donald Trump said he never intended to invite them after Curry said the team would not accept. Instead, when the Warriors made their annual trip to play the Wizards, they took a private tour of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

With Curry and the Warriors back in the NBA Finals the following year, Trump again said he wouldn’t invite the NBA champions to the White House.

The only NFL team to attend a White House ceremony during Trump’s term, the 2017 Patriots, had several players skip the visit, and only one basketball champion — men’s and women’s college hoops, WNBA or NBA — was celebrated at the White House during the Trump era (Baylor women’s basketball in 2019).

“It’s absolutely amazing to be back after seven years,” Green said. “When you’ve accomplished that before and didn’t quite get the opportunity, it sucks. As a kid from Saginaw, Michigan, you only dream of seeing the White House, let alone having an opportunity to attend or be celebrated.”

Kerr said he was “hopeful” the Warriors could earn another trip to the White House, though they still have some glaring issues they need to figure out on the court. But the always confident Green didn’t hesitate to make a declaration.

“It’s been a very great visit,” Green said before he smirked and added, “And looking forward to coming back next year.”

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Dub Hub, Daily Warriors Links for 1/18/23: Warriors wrap up championship celebration with visit to the White House

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Good Morning Dub Nation,

The Golden State Warriors capped off their 2021-22 championship celebration with an official visit to the White House on Tuesday . It was the team’s first visit to the White House since winning the title in 2015, and it’s safe to say they were grateful for the opportunity to return once again.

. @Warriors ' Klay Thompson took a moment to share what it means to celebrate the 2022 NBA championship at the White House. pic.twitter.com/AY25kWdzVO — The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 18, 2023

Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr got things started as honorary guest speakers during the official White House press briefings. Curry and Kerr thanked the current administration for inviting them over while also speaking on topics beyond basketball such as the safe return of Brittney Griner to the United States and the progress of gun legislation in America.

Steph takes the podium before today’s press briefing at the White House pic.twitter.com/0IU1fDsqcN — Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 17, 2023

Steve Kerr explains what the White House visit means to him and the Warriors pic.twitter.com/smPUtbwHLL — Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 17, 2023

The visit culminated with speeches from both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as the Warriors presented both of them with honorary team jerseys .

"Dub Nation is in the house." Vice President Kamala Harris welcomes the 2022 NBA Champion @warriors to The White House. Watch on the NBA App: https://t.co/y3YdBxQd9N pic.twitter.com/hKn3jb1tSS — NBA (@NBA) January 17, 2023

The Warriors perfectly represented the NBA and all of Dub Nation during their visit to the White House. After the event, Draymond Green spoke to reporters and praised Curry for his presidential disposition while joking about which potential role in office best suits him.

If Steph runs for president, Draymond wants to be the secretary of defense pic.twitter.com/63TTiHQv6S — Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 18, 2023

With the White House visit complete, the Warriors return their focus to the current season. At a record of 22-22, the team looks to get their season back rolling in hopes of repeating their championship success and making a return visit to Washington D.C. next year.

Here are the rest of today’s stories:

In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:

• Warriors present jerseys to President Biden and VP Harris
• Video: Warriors enter the White House as champions
• Steve Kerr calls Steph Curry the ‘Modern’ Michael Jordan
• The Warriors’ key tactical adjustments against the Wizards
• Podcast: Warriors vs. Wizards

Other Warriors News:

• Warriors return to White House to celebrate 2022 NBA championship (The Athletic)
• 4-Time NBA Champion Steph Curry sits down with Warriors President Bob Myers | Lead by Example (Youtube)
• Joe Lacob offered Warriors-Celtics seats to fans who heckled Draymond Green (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Draymond Green jokes about ideal political role for post-Warriors career (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Warriors’ Green set to greet hostile Boston crowd as a champ (ESPN)
• NBA trade deadline: What Shams is hearing about Jakob Poeltl, John Collins, Fred VanVleet and more (The Athletic)
• Kings’ Fox and Sabonis walking the NBA Today crew through their “Pistol 5” action (Twitter)
• Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vučević speak language of basketball (NBC Sports Chicago)
• Raptors have plenty to figure out before trade deadline (Yahoo Sports)
• Paul George returns to lineup in Clippers’ loss to 76ers (ESPN)

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Sights and sounds from Golden State Warriors' White House visit

There are many honors that come with winning an NBA title -- namely, bragging rights over the rest of the league and some substantial bling. But one of the most notable is a trip to the nation's capital so the team can meet the president of the United States while being welcomed at the White House.

On Tuesday, the 2021-22 NBA champion Golden State Warriors took full advantage of that opportunity. Despite having won the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2017 and 2018, Stephen Curry & Co. hadn't visited the White House since 2016.

Here are some of the most memorable sights, sounds and moments from the reigning champs' trip to Washington.

2022 NBA Champion @warriors arrive at The @WhiteHouse . 🏆 Watch the full ceremony at 2:45 PM ET on the NBA App: https://t.co/y3YdBxQd9N https://t.co/vbptJRtoYX — NBA (@NBA) January 17, 2023

🏆🏆🏆🏆 We here. pic.twitter.com/1KbG0rHPpY — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 17, 2023

Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr started this morning's press briefing at the White House with quick statements. Kerr was part of a round table discussion about gun control earlier today, and Curry thanked the Biden admin for bringing Brittney Griner home. pic.twitter.com/7SH5uEevw5 — Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) January 17, 2023

Before presenting President Biden and Vice President Harris with Warriors jersey's Curry, Biden and Harris addressed those gathered. Nancy Pelosi, E-40, as well as other politicians and Bag Area musicians were in attendance. pic.twitter.com/uZVbkA1DKW — Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) January 17, 2023

Presidential. pic.twitter.com/1A4YBUiyvo — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 17, 2023

J-Wise checking in 🎙 pic.twitter.com/E4U3eQ9w2P — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 17, 2023

"Dub Nation is in the house!" pic.twitter.com/BUbvmuKCuv — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 17, 2023

Stephen & The President pic.twitter.com/zYSLUo2ZFh — Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 17, 2023

The 2022 NBA champion Golden State Warriors at the White House. pic.twitter.com/ivsclGhef8 — Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) January 17, 2023

Biden wrongfully calls WNBA champion a coach during White House visit

President Biden welcomed the back-to-back reigning WNBA champions, the Las Vegas Aces, to the White House on Thursday but made a flub in his speech.

Recently retired Candace Parker was a member of the squad, playing in 18 games during the season.

While she did not play in the playoffs, she still earned her third championship ring as a player.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Parker announced her retirement on April 28 following an illustrious career.

She did not make the trip to the nation's capital, but Biden made sure to single her out. However, he called her "one of the greatest all-time coaches" in WNBA history. Parker has not coached a game.

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"And while she couldn’t be here, I want to acknowledge someone who will be considered one of the greatest all-time coaches, Candace Parker," Biden said, followed by applause. "She played 16 seasons in the league, two Olympic Gold Medals, two regular season MVPs, and a Final MVP.  And look — and going out on top of the world with her third ring, she announced her retirement from the game."

ANTONIO BROWN MAKES CRUDE INNUENDO ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK WHILE ADDRESSING BEEF WITH WNBA STAR

Biden also joked that he, like the Aces, wants to go back-to-back, referencing the election later this year.

During his address, Biden said it has been a "banner year" for women's basketball.

"It matters to girls and women, finally seeing themselves represented," Biden said during the celebration, held in the East Room of the White House. "It matters to all Americans. That’s why as a nation, we need to support women’s sports."

The Las Vegas Aces defeated the New York Liberty in the WNBA championship last October to win their second consecutive WNBA title.

The defending NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, notably canceled their visit earlier this year, citing their quest to earn the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference (they got the No. 2 seed after a tiebreaker).

The 2021-2022 NBA champion Golden State Warriors visited the White House in January of last year after not doing so in 2017 and 2018 while then-President Trump was in office.

Neither the Toronto Raptors nor the Los Angeles Lakers , the winners of the 2019 and 2020 NBA Finals, visited the White House to commemorate their titles, but the Milwaukee Bucks made the trip to visit Biden in November 2021.

The last championship team to visit Trump in office were the 2019 Washington Nationals , five days after their World Series victory over the Houston Astros. The pandemic made visits tougher, and by the time restrictions started to be lifted, Biden had taken office.

The UConn men's and LSU women's teams visited Biden last year. The president was criticized for originally not inviting the University of Georgia football team last year. After they got an invitation, the Bulldogs did not go. They did not make the trip the year prior, either, due to COVID-19 safety precautions.

Follow Fox News Digital’s  sports coverage on X , and subscribe to  the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter .

Original article source: Biden wrongfully calls WNBA champion a coach during White House visit

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• Women's College Basketball

Caitlin Clark Fever has already overtaken Indiana, and it’s only the preseason

In the unofficial home debut of Caitlin Clark with the Fever on Thursday, Indiana showed it’s ready for one of the game’s top stars.

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INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has long been a basketball-crazed state. From preps to pros, there has never been such a thing as too much basketball.

Search the largest high school gymnasiums in America, and 10 of the top 12 are located in Indiana. It’s a list that doesn’t even include the largest gym in the country, a 9,000-seat arena nicknamed the Wigwam that closed in 2016.

In college, the Indiana University women’s basketball team ranked fifth national in total attendance for 2023-24 . The men’s team ranked No. 6 nationally . The Notre Dame women’s team averaged over 14,000 fans per game . The Purdue men’s team averaged 14,876 fans per game, ranking No. 10 nationally .

For the NBA, turn on a Pacers’ playoff game and you’ll see as rowdy a fanbase as any that remains in the playoffs. It’s a crowd that, directly or not, got so under Patrick Beverley’s skin, that he started throwing a basketball at them .

The one team, though, that has slipped through the cracks in the state has been the Indiana Fever. Once a team that made three WNBA Finals appearances in seven years — with a banner to boot — the Fever have never reaped the rewards of a state fanatical in its love of basketball.

Since 2017, the Fever have never finished higher than seventh in average attendance in the WNBA, per Across The Timeline . In 2022, a season in which they finished 5-31, they averaged a league-worst 1,775 fans, with rock bottom coming on May 17 against the Atlanta Dream , when they had just 960 fans in attendance.

Even as the team began to turn things around last season, led by No. 1 pick and Rookie of the Year Aliyah Boston, their average of 4,066 fans ranked second-worst in the W, outclassing only the Dream.

Enter Caitlin Clark.

No one has brought more attention to the women’s game in recent years than Clark . As women’s basketball rapidly grows, Clark is the latest pace car helping the league draft to higher heights.

Last season, Caitlin Clark and Iowa ranked No. 2 in the country in attendance, bringing in over 209,972 total fans. The only reason that number isn’t higher is because Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena can only hold 15,500 fans; it was sold out every home game.

That doesn’t include the 55,000 people who packed Kinnick Stadium to watch an exhibition game. Clark and the Hawkeyes either set or tied the attendance record at all but two games in her final season at Iowa.

Wherever Caitlin Clark goes, fans follow in droves.

So, then, what do you get when you mix a basketball-crazed state with a superstar who spent the last year shattering attendance records?

The signs started showing the moment Clark announced her decision to declare for the WNBA. Roughly 17,000 fans claimed tickets to the 2024 WNBA Draft watch party at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The buzz that’s existed around the city and state is unlike any athlete in recent memory. Clark merchandise, from jerseys to shirts to magazines and everything in between, can be found anywhere from a grocery store to a restaurant. In a city long dominated by the Indianapolis Colts and one that has the Pacers in the NBA playoffs , it’s Clark who has been the talk of the town despite not yet having played an official game.

On Thursday, Clark made her long-awaited, even if still unofficial, debut, stepping onto the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the team’s only preseason home game. Greeting her and her teammates were 13,028 fans.

To put it into context, that number is already nearly a record-breaking one for the Fever. According to Across the Timeline , it was the most fans to attend a Fever game in over seven years. The last time the Fever had that many fans in attendance, it was for Hall-of-Famer Tamika Catchings’ final game at the end of the 2016 season.

Thursday’s attendance would rank 12th all-time in single-game attendance for the Fever, including both regular season and postseason. Of the 11 games ahead of it, five were WNBA Finals contests.

For more context, the Las Vegas Aces, who won the WNBA title last season and led the league in average attendance, cleared that figure in just one contest, the lone one they played in T-Mobile Arena. Phoenix, Seattle and Minnesota — who ranked second, third and fourth in average attendance for 2023, respectively — eclipsed that total a combined four times in the regular season.

This was a preseason game. On a Thursday. In early May.

“It was a lot of fun,” Clark said postgame. “I thought they were loud. I thought they were into it. It was fun to see some people in some Iowa stuff and a lot of people in Fever gear. This is a preseason game on a Thursday night and there’s 13,000 people here. I think that just shows what it’s going to be like for us all season and it’s going to help us.

“These are going to be games at home that you’re going to need to win. So, I’m excited for our home opener. I think it’s going to be a packed house, obviously, versus a really great team. It’s pretty incredible, 13,000 at a preseason game is pretty unheard of.”

Clark is in the business of doing the “unheard of.” At this point, she might be the CEO of the company. But it doesn’t make her feats any less of a marvel.

Behind her, Thursday’s game morphed from an exhibition to one that felt much more meaningful. After starting slow and trailing by 15 in the second quarter, the Fever rallied and took the lead in the second half.

Clinging to a three-point advantage in the final seconds, the Fever, backed by a crowd cheering them on like it was the Pacers’ playoff game scheduled for 24 hours later, locked up the Dream defensively as they failed to even get away a clean shot.

Fever with a GREAT defensive possession to ice this one pic.twitter.com/tZH7gL2CSJ — Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) May 10, 2024

That intensity from the fans, who spurred on the team’s comeback, turned a game that will ultimately have no bearing on the team’s record into one that certainly played out like it had real stakes on the line.

“It’s exciting,” head coach Christie Sides said. “I don’t remember a crowd like that all last year. It creates a vibe in there. These are exhibition games. We’re trying to figure our team and figure out how to play but you get caught up in the moment. You get caught up in a home crowd, you don’t want to disappoint our fans, we want to play a certain way, so it’s just really tough.

“I mean, we’ll take it all the time. I will play in front of those fans every night.”

One week from Thursday’s preseason contest, the Fever will have their official home opener when they square off with Sabrina Ionescu and the New York Liberty. Last season, in two games against the Liberty in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Fever drew a total of 11,142 fans.

It feels safe to assume Gainbridge Fieldhouse will be close to, if not completely, sold out for that game. And it feels safe to assume that won’t be the last time there is a near sellout.

The state has never needed much of a reason to go mad for basketball. Just a little spark to light the fire. Caitlin Clark, though, is not just a spark. She’s a can of gasoline ready to be dumped on the flickering embers.

The explosion that’s about to follow is going to be the latest “unheard of” for Clark and another chance for Indiana to flex its basketball-loving muscles.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude .

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• Caitlin Clark is already the face of the WNBA. But she’s not the savior
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