WASHINGTON — There was a 70 percent chance of rain in downtown Washington on Thursday, but the weather held up beautifully at the White House as the Celtics celebrated their 2024 NBA championship in the backdrop of construction along Pennsylvania Avenue for the January inauguration.
President Joe Biden only has two months left in office and perhaps it was fitting the Celtics final visit to Washington this season would be in time for his final days in the Oval Office.
On the South Lawn of the White House, as the temperatures dipped into the mid-40s, Biden mentioned how President John F. Kennedy hosted the 1963 champion Celtics, the first NBA team to be honored at the White House. For generations, professional sports teams have visited the Oval Office where they have been greeted by Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.
That tradition abated under President Donald J. Trump, where several professional and college champions either showed no interest or weren’t invited. The Patriots and Red Sox did visit Trump after their championship seasons, although significant members of both squads declined to show.
No NBA team visited Trump during his four years and it’s uncertain whether that will continue as he prepares to begin his second term in office. The country appears as divided as it was when he won the 2016 election and it will be fascinating to see if that streak is snapped with future NBA champions.
Politics were actually on the discussion board as the Celtics visited Biden. The Raise the Age Act, which would increase the age for juveniles to be committed to adult prisons, was the primary source of conversation as Celtics players spent their early evening talking with politicians and decision-makers in the White House.
The atmosphere Thursday was jovial. The amount of people who responded to their invitations forced the ceremony to be held outside on the South Lawn. And there were plenty of Massachusetts politicians, including Governor Maura Healey, who also attended the Celtics’ home win over Toronto, and Senator Ed Markey, who was draped in a Celtics scarf.
And while the celebration was festive and Celtics guard Derrick White raved about the White House apple cider, there’s a tinge of uncertainty on both sides. It could have been the last White House visit for majority governor Wyc Grousbeck, who is selling his share of the team although his plans are to remain in his post for another three years. Grousbeck announced the sale of his share two weeks after the Celtics won the championship and although he and minority governor Steve Pagliuca are still the front men of the franchise, leadership changes could be in store soon.
“This was a very moving, exciting day,” Grousbeck said. “We had not been focused on this. We go through the banner and opening night and then it as all business led by [Coach] Joe [Mazzulla]. Joe doesn’t really want us to dwell too much on the past. He wants us to move forward. Having said that, everybody here, including Joe really seemed to have a great time and we really got some time to personally connect with the President.
“We really got to know him and spend time. It was just a meaningful day.”
There seemed to be a level of comfort with NBA players and Biden, Obama and even President George W. Bush, who greeted the Celtics 16 years ago after their last championship. There was a mutual respect, despite the political differences.
That respect decayed when Trump took office for several reasons and several championship teams from various sports filled with players from underrepresented or minority communities decided the White House wasn’t where they wanted to cap off their title tour.
Hard to envision the Trump White House offering an olive branch that would be impactful enough to bring these title teams from various men’s and women’s sports back to the White House or that he would offer a branch at all.
There are those athletes who still recall Trump’s vitriol for NFL players who decided to protest social injustices by kneeling during the national anthem. Although the NFL said it has no issues with players who celebrate big plays with a “Trump” dance such as 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa.
Visiting the White House was and still is considered an honor. The Celtics looked forward to their trip here. There’s something moving about being somewhere so historical, and Jaylen Brown was listening attentively when a Secret Service agent was giving him a history lesson during their tour. The Washington Monument was the backdrop of Thursday’s ceremony.
The Celtics were guests in the White House. They were offered apple cider. They felt welcomed. Biden did his research, quoting Red Auerbach, running off the names of the top players and even noting the Celtics’ NBA record points-per-possession, prompting big grins from Mazzulla and assistant GM Mike Zarren. Despite criticism for his advanced age, Biden was engaged, approachable and chipper, taking selfies with admirers for several minutes before being led off by the Secret Service.
The energy was positive. It was a beautiful, cool day in Washington D.C., a perfect day to cap off the Celtics’ championship. The question is whether they will be back next year or whether any team will be back next year. Will the new President offer an invite? Will he make his home as comfortable to those who may or may not agree with his politics as his predecessors?
History says no. So Thursday may serve as the final visit from an NBA champion — or many other champions — for at least the next four years.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.
Source: politics.einnews.com…
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