Silver says a visit to the White House would provide an opportunity for socially conscious players to speak with Trump about issues that concern them.
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In a piece on The Undefeated that touches on several facets of the league’s intersection with social and political issues, Silver says:
The Cleveland Cavaliers visited President Obama on Nov. 10, two days after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, and there were suggestions it may have been the last trip to the White House by an NBA champion as long as Trump lives there.
Cleveland guard Iman Shumpert went so far as to say that if the Cavs repeat, “I’m not going to the White House” (via Complex).
But Silver thinks the institution of the American presidency is “bigger than any one man, whether that man be President Obama or President Trump," he said. “Ultimately players have to make their own decisions. But if they were seeking my counsel, my counsel would be that they should go to the White House if offered the opportunity.”
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The commissioner realizes that being the steward of a predominantly black league carries with it certain responsibilities and sensitivities.
“I do feel a particular obligation to focus on the African-American community in that we have a league that is roughly 75 percent African American,” he said. “And I feel part of the obligation comes from the history of this league that I’ve inherited.”
