Mavericks’ Delonte West says he’s banned from White House trip

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Delonte West apparently won’t be with the rest of his Dallas Mavericks teammates when they make their ceremonial visit to the White House on Monday. And it’s not because he signed with the team months after it won the NBA championship -- new additions were invited to meet President Obama as well.

West, a native of Washington, D.C., told the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram that he has been banned from visiting the White House with the Mavericks after a routine background check by the president’s security team.

[Updated at 11:57 a.m.: Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said West was cleared with the rest of his teammates and could have taken part in the event. A team spokeswoman, Sarah Melton, also said West was not banned from the White House ceremony but declined to comment on why he didn’t attend.]

‘I’m banned from going to the White House, so I’m not going to make it,’ West said Saturday night after a 96-81 victory over the New Orleans Hornets. ‘But I’m going home to D.C., I’m just not allowed to go to the White House.

‘That’s what happens when you make bad decisions in your life. You can’t go to the White House.’

In 2009, police found three weapons in a guitar case being carried by West after he was pulled over for a traffic violation. West eventually pleaded guilty to the weapons and traffic charges but avoided any jail time.

West, who made some more news this weekend with a profanity-laced Twitter rant, said not to feel bad for him about missing the White House trip. He said he’s fine hanging out in his own home in D.C. and suggested that maybe we should be feeling sorry for the president instead.

‘I’ve been there 100 times in my lifetime,’ West said. ‘I live right around the corner. ... It’s going to be a shame the president isn’t going to get a chance to meet me. I’m the president of my house.’

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-- Chuck Schilken