Will the Raptors Visit the White House?
Title-winning teams are typically invited to the White House to celebrate winning a major championship in their respective leagues. But do Canadian teams visit Washington, D.C., after a win and will the Raptors make the trip after winning the 2019 NBA Finals? There's a precedent to do so.
The last time a Canada-based team from one of the four major pro sports leagues won a championship was 1993 – with both the MLB's Toronto Blue Jays and the NHL's Montreal Canadiens winning in their respective sports. Neither team visited the White House. Toronto F.C. won the MLS Cup in 2017 but did not visit the White House.
The Blue Jays did, however, visit President George H.W. Bush after winning the World Series the year prior, in 1992. They visited the White House in December and then declined to do so the next year after repeating as champions.
The Canadiens did not visit Washington after winning the 1993 Stanley Cup although they were reportedly invited by then-President Bill Clinton. The Canadiens are one of seven NHL teams in Canada.
There is precedent, therefore, for the Raptors to visit the White House should they receive or accept an invitation. The Warriors, who fell to the Raptors 4–2 in this year's Finals after a 114–110 loss in Game 6 on Thursday, did not receive an invitation to celebrate their 2018 championship after declining the invite following their 2017 title.
