The Celtics’ celebration of their 2024 NBA championship will continue Thursday afternoon when they visit President Joe Biden at the White House, according to White House and team officials. The team will be in Washington, D.C., in advance of Friday’s game against the Wizards.
“It’s kind of something you grew up seeing, the champions going to the White House,” Celtics guard Derrick White said. “Just to be part of that is going to be pretty fun, just to go with the team and enjoy the experience together.”
The Celtics last visited the White House in September 2008, when they met with President George W. Bush on the South Lawn following their NBA Finals win over the Lakers three months earlier. Hall of Famer Paul Pierce presented Bush with a signed team basketball and a No. 43 Celtics jersey.
In January 1963, the Celtics became the first NBA team to meet with a US president at the White House, even though it was unscripted. While in the Washington area to face the Cincinnati Royals at the University of Maryland, the team received a scheduled Oval Office tour that was followed by an impromptu visit by President John F. Kennedy.
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As the Celtics shook hands with Kennedy before departing, Hall of Fame forward Satch Sanders famously quipped: “Take it easy, baby.”
Boston teams have been frequent visitors to the White House in this century, of course, with the Patriots leading the way. But scheduling conflicts kept the 2019 Super Bowl team, the most recent champion, from visiting President Donald Trump that year.
The Red Sox were the last Boston team to go to the White House, though their May 2019 stop to honor their 2018 World Series squad was tinted with political unease. A prominent Red Sox contingent that included manager Alex Cora and stars Mookie Betts and David Price declined the invitation due to frustrations about how President Trump handled the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, as well as his distasteful comments about countries in Latin America.
Trump will be inaugurated ahead of his second term in January, but since the transition has not taken place yet, the Celtics will meet with Biden. The Celtics faced the Wizards in Washington last month and are not scheduled to play another game there this year.
In recent months, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has made it clear that he wants the team to move on from basking in the afterglow of last season and shift its focus toward trying to win another title.
In October, the team raised Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters and received its sparkling championship rings. Now, this White House visit will likely be the final commemoration, at least for quite a while.
“This is probably the last thing we’ll do that’s going to be about last season’s championship,” White said. “But it’s going to be a cool experience, and I’m going to enjoy it.”
