Tristan Thompson was apparently thrilled to meet Vice President JD Vance.
Thompson, 35, took to Snapchat on Thursday, March 26, to share photos of himself meeting Vance, 41, while visiting the White House. In one pic, he and Vance wrapped their arms around each other while beaming for the camera.
“I JUST MET JD VANCE!!!!” Thompson captioned the post.
He also shared a photo of himself and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shaking hands outside. “I met RFK Jr. 🤯🤯🤯,” he wrote alongside the pic.
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Thompson also shared a snap of President Donald Trump and Vance’s framed photos.
At the White House, the basketball pro answered questions about how he wants to protect college athletes.
“Well, what we want to do is create a program for them,” he explained. “At the end of the day for us, especially myself being a former college athlete, the NIL is a lot of capital. Kids are making a lot of money, but we need to create a system to protect that money.”
Name, image and likeness (NIL) rights allow college athletes to receive compensation through social media, endorsement deals, appearances and more. New NCAA rules allowing student-athletes to earn money from NIL deals went into effect in July 2021.
Thompson continued, “Not everyone has the ability and the fortune to play in the NFL or MLB or NBA, so those that might not make it to that level, how can we set them up for their future?”
“A lot of these kids are making six figures [through the NIL],” Thompson added, noting he wants students to have “protected” money.
Thomspon was drafted into the NBA by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011. In 2016, he helped the team win the NBA Championship. In 2020, Thompson signed with the Boston Celtics before playing for the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls. He then signed with the Lakers in 2023 for the playoffs.
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Thompson then returned to the Cavaliers but was suspended for 25 games after violating the league’s anti-drug policy. He tested positive for ibutamoren, a growth hormone, and SARM LGD-4033, which is used for muscle enhancement.
At the time, the Cavaliers shared in a statement, “We are disappointed in the recent news surrounding Tristan Thompson. His time away from game action will have an impact on our team.”