By Chad Vines Clarke, Sports Staff Writer
Posted 10:40 AM EST, Fri., Nov. 18, 2016
On Thursday, November 10, the 2016 NBA Final Champion Cleveland Cavaliers were invited to the White House for the final championship team visit under President Barack Obama’s presidency.
“Words cannot express how I feel, being the last team to visit the White House tomorrow,” small forward Richard Jefferson said via Snapchat.
From the viral mannequin challenge with First Lady Michelle Obama, to giving President Obama a sleeved basketball jersey, the team was able to put their political views aside and have an intimate moment with the 44th President of the United States, celebrating their historical victory last season.
“Cleveland was always Believeland,” President Obama said, stating how the teams always gives back to their fans and community.
Coach Tyronn Lue, who had his first championship win as a head coach, received a call from President Obama back in June, inviting the team to the White House after their victory game against the Golden State Warriors in their seven game duel.
“We’re going to schedule it while you’re still in the White House for sure,” Lue said in a phone conversation with the President.
Obama seemed as excited to be in the team’s presence as they were to be in his. They all enjoyed talks about the game, shared jokes and took as talks about the game, individual jokes with each player, and several pictures were taken. No political talk about this past election surfaced during the visit.
Obama, who will end his 8-year stent as president of the United States, is making his final rounds before he leaves the White House in January. He even offered to open his doors to the Chicago Cubs after after their 2016 World Series win.
