Biden Praises the Milwaukee Bucks for Speaking Out on Vaccines, Jacob Blake Shooting

The Milwaukee Bucks became the first NBA championship team to visit the White House since 2016 and they were praised by President Joe Biden for something the previous administration would have chastised them for.

With former president Donald Trump often going to war with leagues, teams, and athletes for not sticking to sports, Biden celebrated the Bucks for being politically engaged.

“Last year as a team, you took a stand for justice and peace in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting in Kenosha, WI,” Biden said to the Bucks while standing next to Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

As racial unrest ravaged the United States in 2020, the Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their first round playoff series to protest the police officer shooting of Jacob Blake. Milwaukee’s decision led other NBA teams to follow suit and sparked a stunning domino effect of boycotts throughout the sports world.

Trump responded at the time, blasting the NBA for acting “like a political organization — and that’s not a good thing I don’t think that’s a good thing for sports or for the country.”

Biden took the opposite stance Monday afternoon as the NBA proudly returned to the White House.

“You got people engaged in the vote, in the political process. You encouraged fans to get vaccinated,” Biden continued. “I just want to thank you.”

Prior to the start of the season, more than 95 percent of NBA players were vaccinated against Covid. On Sunday, the league began urging its players to get booster shots, especially those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Watch above via NBA TV.