WNBA: Finals-Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty - Source: Imagn

WNBA champions Liberty snub White House visit to meet Barack & Michelle Obama

Modified Jun 07, 2025 13:52 GMT

After winning the 2024 WNBA Finals, the New York Liberty have seemingly joined teams like the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors in deciding not to visit the White House.

In US sports, there's a longstanding tradition where championship teams are invited to the White House as guests of honor to celebrate their title wins.

Instead, with no invitation from the current administration, the Liberty attended a private dinner with former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama this week in Washington.

The New York Post quoted Liberty star Breanna Stewart as saying:

“It was amazing. I’ve been to the White House when I won in college and stuff like that, but this was way more intimate."

According to local outlet Secret NYC, the Liberty, including Betnijah-Laney Hamilton, who is sidelined for the season, attended what they thought was a team dinner on Tuesday.

Instead, after arriving, the team was shocked when the Obamas walked in, surprising the reigning champs with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The team hasn't been invited to the White House by Donald Trump, and according to The New York Post, an invite "doesn't seem likely."

New York Liberty eager to build on 2024 championship win after undefeated start to the season

Last year, the New York Liberty entered the 2024 WNBA season as underdogs, given that the Las Vegas Aces were two-time defending champions.

Despite that, the team put the WNBA on notice, finishing the regular season with the best record in the league.

Then, in the postseason, the team wound up sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the first round, unseating the reigning champs in the second round, and then securing their first championship in franchise history with a 3-2 series win over the Minnesota Lynx in the finals.

This season, the team picked up right where they left off last year, starting the 2025 season with a 92-78 win over the Aces. Since then, the team has continued to build on their momentum, rattling off seven straight wins.

Currently, the team is sitting atop the WNBA with a perfect 8-0 record alongside the Minnesota Lynx, who are eager to avenge last season's WNBA Finals loss.

Following a big 86-78 win over the Washington Mystics on Thursday, the team will be back in action again on Tuesday when they collide with the Chicago Sky.

About the author

Evan Bell is a journalist specializing in the NBA and NHL at Sportskeeda, whose love for the game stems from a childhood spent watching the Chicago Bulls. He has been there through their highs and lows, from the Jordan era to the exciting Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah years.

Evan finds the 82-game season and the intensity of playoff basketball exhilarating, and he also revels in the offseason drama. Phil Jackson stands out as his favorite coach, whom he admires for his composed leadership and success in managing dynamic personalities like Dennis Rodman.

To deliver top-quality content, Evan fact-checks information while diligently keeping up with the action year-round.

When he's not writing, Evan follows tennis and Greek football, and also plays basketball and tennis.

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