The Denver Nuggets stirred up controversy last week after a national basketball insider reported that the 2023 NBA champions would skip their White House visit with President Joe Biden as they focused on solidifying the one seed in the Western Conference.
The reporter, TNT's Chris Haynes, claimed the Nuggets were "prioritizing that number one seed" and doing "all that they can to get up to that spot going into the playoffs" before the post-season begins on June 6. He said the team made a "basketball decision" to cancel the White House visit, which was supposed to happen on March 18 after being moved from June due to a scheduling issue with the Biden administration.
However, Haynes was passed the wrong info, apparently.
“Contrary to recent reports, our whole goal is not being the No. 1 seed," Malone told reporters on Monday, March 11, according to DNVR's Harrison Wind.
As of Wednesday, March 13, the Nuggets are 45-20 and tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the Western Conference, but the Thunder are currently the one seed thanks to a 3-1 record against the Nuggets.
"It’s not why we canceled the trip to the White House," Malone added on Monday. "I don’t know where these things come from. If we get the 1-seed, great."
Wind explained on X that the reason for the cancellation was because the date that they were scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C., was an off day between two road games in Dallas and Minnesota. Wind later told Westword in a follow-up post that the team worried it would be too much on the players.
"Their top priority is staying healthy," Wind said.
The decision to ditch POTUS sparked some outrage from political folks and media personalities, including NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley.
"Are they flying Southwest or something?" Barkley asked on-air last Thursday, March 7. "Come on, man. I actually have a problem with this whole thing that’s happened in sports the last few years, not just now." 
Nuggets Join Warriors, Raptors and Lakers on NBA No-Show List
There have now been four different NBA teams to not visit the White House since 2017.
During the Trump and Biden presidencies, the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers were all absent following their championship wins.
"It’s an honor and a privilege to go to the White House," Barkley went on to say on TNT. "It shouldn’t matter who’s in the White House. It’s an honor and a privilege to go to the White House. You should always go."
The Warriors wound up missing their trips to D.C. after winning championships in 2017 and 2018 on account of Trump not inviting them. Raptors players said they would refuse to go after winning the NBA title in 2019 before an invitation was ever extended (it never was); the Lakers chose to skip in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID protocols and scheduling issues.
In 2021, the streak was ended by the Milwaukee Bucks, who visited with President Biden at the start of the season in November — something people have pointed out as what the administration should have done this year with the Nuggets.
The Warriors won the title in 2022 and visited President Biden in January 2023. 
Other Sports Teams That Have Missed Out
While NBA teams have received most of the flak for not visiting the White House, it's not just pro basketball that has been absent in D.C.
While Trump was in office, from 2016 to 2020, ten out of the twenty sports teams that won championships did not meet with him. Many weren't invited, but some turned down the offer.
The 2016-17 North Carolina Tar Heels squad that defeated Gonzaga for the NCAA Division I men's basketball championship was unable to attend due to scheduling issues. The 2017 Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, were disinvited by Trump after a majority of the players refused to accept his invitation.
"The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow," Trump said in a 2018 statement.
"They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country," Trump said at the time. "The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the White House to be part of a different type of ceremony — one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem."
The Denver Broncos visited the White House after winning the team's first Super Bowl in 1998 against the Green Bay Packers, and also in 2016, after winning its third championship against the Carolina Panthers.
The reporter, TNT's Chris Haynes, claimed the Nuggets were "prioritizing that number one seed" and doing "all that they can to get up to that spot going into the playoffs" before the post-season begins on June 6. He said the team made a "basketball decision" to cancel the White House visit, which was supposed to happen on March 18 after being moved from June due to a scheduling issue with the Biden administration.
However, Haynes was passed the wrong info, apparently.
“Contrary to recent reports, our whole goal is not being the No. 1 seed," Malone told reporters on Monday, March 11, according to DNVR's Harrison Wind.
As of Wednesday, March 13, the Nuggets are 45-20 and tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the Western Conference, but the Thunder are currently the one seed thanks to a 3-1 record against the Nuggets.
"It’s not why we canceled the trip to the White House," Malone added on Monday. "I don’t know where these things come from. If we get the 1-seed, great."
Wind explained on X that the reason for the cancellation was because the date that they were scheduled to fly to Washington, D.C., was an off day between two road games in Dallas and Minnesota. Wind later told Westword in a follow-up post that the team worried it would be too much on the players.
"Their top priority is staying healthy," Wind said.
Some X users questioned how a trip to D.C. to see the president would affect the players' health, while others noted how exhaustion and fatigue could possibly lead to injuries. The Nuggets did not respond to requests for comment about their reasoning.Their top priority is staying healthy. https://t.co/zWGt8EcJI7
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) March 12, 2024
The decision to ditch POTUS sparked some outrage from political folks and media personalities, including NBA legend and TNT analyst Charles Barkley.
"Are they flying Southwest or something?" Barkley asked on-air last Thursday, March 7. "Come on, man. I actually have a problem with this whole thing that’s happened in sports the last few years, not just now."
The Denver Nuggets took home the franchise's first NBA championship last year.
Denver Nuggets/Twitter
Nuggets Join Warriors, Raptors and Lakers on NBA No-Show List
There have now been four different NBA teams to not visit the White House since 2017.During the Trump and Biden presidencies, the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers were all absent following their championship wins.
"It’s an honor and a privilege to go to the White House," Barkley went on to say on TNT. "It shouldn’t matter who’s in the White House. It’s an honor and a privilege to go to the White House. You should always go."
The Warriors wound up missing their trips to D.C. after winning championships in 2017 and 2018 on account of Trump not inviting them. Raptors players said they would refuse to go after winning the NBA title in 2019 before an invitation was ever extended (it never was); the Lakers chose to skip in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID protocols and scheduling issues.
In 2021, the streak was ended by the Milwaukee Bucks, who visited with President Biden at the start of the season in November — something people have pointed out as what the administration should have done this year with the Nuggets.
The Warriors won the title in 2022 and visited President Biden in January 2023.
The Colorado Avalanche were forced to miss the team's White House visit after winning the 2022 Stanley Cup.
NHLPA
Other Sports Teams That Have Missed Out
While NBA teams have received most of the flak for not visiting the White House, it's not just pro basketball that has been absent in D.C.
The Colorado Avalanche missed out on visiting the White House during the 2022-23 NHL season for scheduling reasons after winning the 2022 Stanley Cup. But they do have a past visit with President Bill Clinton after winning the cup in 1996. However, only eight players attended.
While Trump was in office, from 2016 to 2020, ten out of the twenty sports teams that won championships did not meet with him. Many weren't invited, but some turned down the offer.
The 2016-17 North Carolina Tar Heels squad that defeated Gonzaga for the NCAA Division I men's basketball championship was unable to attend due to scheduling issues. The 2017 Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, were disinvited by Trump after a majority of the players refused to accept his invitation.
"The Philadelphia Eagles are unable to come to the White House with their full team to be celebrated tomorrow," Trump said in a 2018 statement.
"They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country," Trump said at the time. "The Eagles wanted to send a smaller delegation, but the 1,000 fans planning to attend the event deserve better. These fans are still invited to the White House to be part of a different type of ceremony — one that will honor our great country, pay tribute to the heroes who fight to protect it, and loudly and proudly play the National Anthem."
The Denver Broncos visited the White House after winning the team's first Super Bowl in 1998 against the Green Bay Packers, and also in 2016, after winning its third championship against the Carolina Panthers.
