Since 2021, to commemorate American Independence Day, renowned businessman and billionaire Michael Rubin has been hosting the ‘White Party’ at his residence in The Hamptons. With the central theme requiring attendees to dress up all in white to commemorate the annual holiday, the 4th of July party plays host to several renowned celebrities from different industries for a night filled with fireworks, American flags, Nobu’s gourmet treats, and live performances from some of the guests. The 2024 Gala saw an even more extensive guest list materializing into life, with many of them keeping the vibe alive till 6 am the next day. From James Harden to Donovan Mitchell, the invitees included a few members of the NBA fraternity as well.

Donovan Mitchell took to his official Instagram account to highlight his presence at the White Party for his 3.8 million followers. Dressed up in a semi-open white shirt, accompanied by white shorts, glasses with a white frame, and a gold chain, the Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard went up to Rubin’s house along with his sister Jordan Mitchell. The 27-year-old took some time to click pictures with the billionaire host as well as NFL Linebacker Micah Parsons.

Another NBA star amongst the throng of celebrities was Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. Attending the gala alongside his girlfriend Jade Jones, the 24-year-old was all smiles as he was seen reuniting with his on-court rivals Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. Haliburton had a great NBA season this time around, getting himself named to the All-NBA Third Team, receiving his second selection to the All-Star team, and reaching to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the future champions, the Boston Celtics. Now, the player is enjoying his off-time before heading to Paris to represent Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Speaking of the Boston Celtics, franchise owner Wyc Grousbeck surprised guests by bringing the prestigious Larry O’Brien trophy to the party. The award, given to the victors of the NBA championship every year, turned many heads, but not everyone was impressed with seeing the same. According to reports, Klay Thompson was heard joking: “I’d like to throw that f**king thing in the ocean!” Given that the Celtics earned that trophy by defeating the Dallas Mavericks, the franchise that Thompson recently joined after concluding a 13-year journey with the Warriors, his reaction would seem somewhat justified.

Other members of the NBA fraternity who may not have been impressed at seeing the trophy in the hands of Grousbeck would have been Philadelphia 76ers owners Josh Harris, David Blitzer, and David Adelman. The list would also include Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, both of whom will join Tyrese Haliburton on the Team USA squad heading to the Olympics.

Washington Wizards Kyle Kuzma and his girlfriend, model and vitiligo spokesperson Winnie Harlow, were another celebrity couple present to commemorate the 4th of July. James Harden, a major presence during last year’s White Party as well, spent his time with rapper Lil Wayne, Spanish-Moroccan footballer Achraf Hakimi, and many other famous personalities. Given that Michael Rubin once held a minority stake in the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden’s home base from 2022-23, the guest and the host share a not-so-recently formed friendship.

One athlete who caught the attention of fans for unrelated reasons was Charlotte Hornets’ power forward Grant Williams. According to the US Sun, the NBA player was seen conversing closely with 33-year-old model Emily Ratajkowski. Accompanying Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Ratajkowski had a big smile on her face as she talked and seemed to be having a good time with Williams.

Donovan Mitchell re-ignited his “Spida” Nickname by running into the Spiderman himself

With Donovan Mitchell surrounded by some of the biggest names living in the United States of America at Michael Rubin’s party, it would have become easy for the player to have a standout moment with any particular one of them. However, the highlight for the fans of the NBA star occurred when he met up and grabbed a few pictures with Spiderman star Tobey Maguire. Mitchell even highlighted the moment on his Instagram story with the caption “Spiderman.” Given how the NBA athlete has gotten himself associated with Spiderman in the last few years, the moment was a somewhat recreation of the iconic ‘Spiderman Pointing’ meme.

In 2017, the player highlighted how his father nicknamed him “Spida” owing to his quick reflexes and how he used his “long arms” to grab quick steals. It didn’t take long after that for the nickname to become quite prominently associated with the shooting guard. The nickname allowed Adidas and Marvel to use the player as part of the collaboration to spread the word about their project. Mitchell worked with the $42.65 billion brand to promote the D.O.N Issue #1 and #2 sneakers featuring Spiderman themes. Simultaneously, he also used the shoes when appearing in a promo ad for the 2018 film ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home.’ “Spida” was even invited to the movie premiere, during which he rocked the ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ Adidas D.O.N. Issue #1.

The White Party allowed Mitchell to meet up with the ‘OG Spiderman’ himself. At the same time, it allowed other NBA players to catch up with old friends, capture some good memories, and celebrate the day of American Independence.

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.