Golden State Warriors privately visit Barack Obama instead of President Trump during DC trip

The Golden State Warriors might have refused to visit President Trump at the White House, but they made sure to visit Barack Obama while they were in Washington D.C.

The defending NBA champions, Golden State Warriors reportedly met with Barack Obama in a private meeting on Thursday. The visit came before their 126-118 victory over the Washington Wizards.

The private meeting was apparently intended to remain secret. However, a photo of the players posing with the former president was later posted on Instagram by a member of the Warriors' staff.

Though it was quickly deleted, it was reposted onto Twitter by a Mercury News reporter. The Warriors had previously visited Obama in the White House back in February 2016 after they won their 2015 championship win.

However, the players refused to visit President Trump after their 2017 victory. Stephen Curry was among those to say he would not attend a White House reception if his team was invited.

Their refusal broke a tradition that stretches back several decades. In retaliation, Trump publicly withdrew the White House invitation to the NBA champions via a tweet.

"Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!" he wrote.

Trump's outburst seemed to have the opposite effect he intended. Instead many NBA players hit back with harsh words for the current president.

"U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going!" LeBron James wrote on Twitter. "So, therefore, ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up."

A Warriors' team official eventually revealed to ESPN that the visit with Obama was organized by Curry. Apparently, it was arranged as a team event.

"It was good," Warriors forward Draymond Green said of the meeting. "A private team meeting, team event, it was good."

The Warriors' victory over the Wizards on Thursday night makes it their ninth consecutive victory. Last year the team had gone viral after a video of them dancing to a remix of Fergie's epic national anthem fail was posted to social media.