At the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were among the high-profile attendees. In fact, a loose ball found its way into the lap of the 44th President. Plus, he had a little fun with Reggie Miller, reminiscing over the 1990's NBA.
Now that all the festivities are over, President Obama put out an open invitation on Instagram to the NBA to attend the opening of his Presidential Center in June.
“About the extent of my game these days,” Obama posted. “But everybody’s welcome at Home Court when we open the Obama Presidential Center this June.”
The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open on the South Side of Chicago. Among the amenities the center will offer will be a full-length NBA regulation-style basketball court. Obama is well known for being a passionate basketball fan. In 1979, he helped lead Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii, to the state championship.
As President, he hosted pick-up games at the White House featuring NBA players, including LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, and Joakim Noah. Furthermore, ESPN hosted “Bracketology” at the White House, where the President filled out his brackets during the NCAA tournaments.
Recently, Obama mentioned his all-time starting lineup. It included his friend Steph Curry, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Hakeem Olajuwon.
In 2021, Obama became a strategic partner for NBA Africa. He is also a huge Chicago Bulls fan and appeared in The Last Dance in 2020 as a “Chicago resident.”
