Raptors star Danny Green says NBA champions won’t accept White House invitation from Trump

The Toronto Raptors will become the latest NBA championship team to decline a White House visit with President Donald Trump, according to star shooting guard Danny Green.

The 32-year-old veteran addressed the issue during the latest episode of his own podcast ‘Inside the Green Room’ with co-host Harrison Sanford, who asked Green if he and the Raptors would accept an invitation to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue following their historic NBA Finals win.

‘I just don’t think that we accept,’ Green said. ‘I think it’s a hard no.’ 

The Raptors’ June 13 NBA Finals victory is the first championship for the Canadian franchise, which began as the league’s first and only international expansion team in 1995.

Toronto Raptors shooting guard Danny Green (right) said the reigning NBA champions are likely to decline a White House visit with President Donald Trump

Speaking on his own podcast Saturday, Green told co-host Harrison Sanford, 'I just don't think that we accept' a hypothetical Trump White House invite

Speaking on his own podcast Saturday, Green told co-host Harrison Sanford, ‘I just don’t think that we accept’ a hypothetical Trump White House invite

Green is an American who grew up in Long Island, New York not far from Trump’s hometown of New York City, but while he doesn’t want to meet with Trump, he said he’s happily anticipating a ceremonial meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Green said of visiting Trudeau and Canada’s Parliament in Ottawa. ‘It’s different stuff that I’m looking forward too… just to see how [Trudeau] operates, his atmosphere, work. His kid’s a big fan. His son, he says I’m his favorite. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but [Trudeau] said it in front of the team.’

Unlike Trudeau, Trump has verbally attacked many of his country’s most popular athletes since becoming a politician.

The president has been condemned for questioning NBA star Lebron James’ intelligence and going after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, referring to him and other pro football players who kneel in protest of racism and police brutality during their team’s pre-game national anthem performances as sons of bitches.

Trump has been condemned for his public political attacks on former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other pro football players who kneel in protest of racism and police brutality during their team's pre-game national anthem performances

Trump has been condemned for his public political attacks on former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other pro football players who kneel in protest of racism and police brutality during their team’s pre-game national anthem performances

Trump questioned the intelligence of NBA star Lebron James in August after James spoke critically of the president during a CNN interview with Don Lemon

Trump questioned the intelligence of NBA star Lebron James in August after James spoke critically of the president during a CNN interview with Don Lemon

Those remarks have made Trump a pariah among many pro athletes, including Green, James and Golden State Warriors stars Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.

‘I try to respect everybody in every field that they do regardless of how crazy the things are,’ Green continued in his podcast convo. ‘[Trump] makes it very hard. He makes it very very tough to respect how he goes about things and does things.’ 

In May, the MLB champion Houston Astros bucked the recent trend of championship teams declining to meet and shake hands with the president, a tradition that dates back to 1865, according to ESPN.

The 2019 Super Bowl champion New England Patriots haven’t set a date yet for their anticipated White House visit, according to the Boston Globe, even though Trump is friends with team owner Bob Kraft and star quarterback Tom Brady.

Several players on the Washington Capitals, including star goalie Braden Holtby, a Canadian national, skipped their team's meeting with Trump in February following the franchise's first-ever NHL Stanley Cup Championship win in June of 2018

Several players on the Washington Capitals, including star goalie Braden Holtby, a Canadian national, skipped their team’s meeting with Trump in February following the franchise’s first-ever NHL Stanley Cup Championship win in June of 2018

The 2019 Super Bowl champion New England Patriots haven't set a date yet for their anticipated White House visit even though Trump is friends with team owner Bob Kraft and star quarterback Tom Brady

The 2019 Super Bowl champion New England Patriots haven’t set a date yet for their anticipated White House visit even though Trump is friends with team owner Bob Kraft and star quarterback Tom Brady

Brady was one of more than a dozen Patriots players to skip their team’s White House visit following their 2017 Super Bowl win.

The Philadelphia Eagles cancelled their scheduled White House visit to meet the president in June of 2018.

Several players on the Washington Capitals, including star goalie Braden Holtby, a Canadian national, missed their team’s meeting with Trump in March following the franchise’s first-ever NHL Stanley Cup Championship win in June of 2018.

Holtby told CNN him and his wife’s support of LGBTQ rights factored into his decision not to meet with Trump.

‘For me, it’s just a personal thing. I believe in what I believe in, and in order to stick to those values, I think I have to do what I feel is right,’ Holtby said.

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