Did LeBron James secretly play basketball with former President Barack Obama? New details surface years later
LeBron James and Barack Obama. Image via: Yannick Peterhans | Jane Barlow/ AP
It may sound like a fantasy matchup from a sports dream sequence, but new revelations confirm that
LeBron James
did, in fact, play in a low-key basketball game with none other than former President
Barack Obama
.
The event wasn't held under bright arena lights or televised to millions, but rather played quietly during Obama's 49th birthday celebration. Years after the fact, the full scope of this secret game is only now becoming clear, with firsthand accounts giving fans a closer look at what really went down.
Inside Barack Obama's secret pickup game with
NBA
legends and LeBron James
Back in 2010, then-President Barack Obama invited a host of NBA icons to celebrate his 49th birthday in a very unconventional way through basketball.
The game was private, exclusive, and star-studded. According to two-time NBA champion Shane Battier, some of the game's most iconic names showed up, "It was Carmelo, Magic Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, LeBron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh… Hall of Famers," Battier recently shared during a recent episode of PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT Podcast.
Shane Battier on LeBron's Best Game, Pickup with Obama & Dumb Players-Only Meetings | PTFO
Initially, the players were hesitant to play at full throttle out of respect for the President.
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However, that changed quickly. "We lost the first two games, and President Obama says, 'Guys, bring it in. As your commander in chief, I command you to not lose this last game,'" Battier recalled in the interview. That pep talk sparked a change in tempo, and the final game ended with Obama himself nailing the game-winning shot.
Years later, Obama confirmed the details during an appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman.
'For my 49th birthday, we had an All-Star Game that was just kind of for us. LeBron came. Dwyane Wade, and Derrick Rose; all these amazing NBA players,' he said. Obama even added that he invited high school friends to play alongside the pros, forming teams with three NBA stars and two amateurs per side.
The event also honored Wounded Warriors, who were invited to watch the games, meet the players, and receive memorabilia.
Obama's admiration for LeBron was also evident in his sense of humor. 'Having LeBron suddenly guard you – this mountain of a human – you never feel so small and weak,' he joked. 'You just pass the ball, or hand it to him and say here, I'm not worthy.' The former president, known for his deep love of basketball, also played host to legends like Magic Johnson, who came out of retirement to play again at Obama's 50th birthday.
Obama saw basketball as a unifier.
'Team sports at its best is a great equalizer,' he said. 'Basically, when you were on the court it was like, how did you play, rather than who you were.' He later tweeted, 'I've always loved basketball because it's about building a team that's equal to more than the sum of its parts.'
Also Read:
"No one is perfect": LeBron James' vintage life lesson resurfaces as Lakers legend reflects on growth in old clip
Interestingly, that 2010 game wouldn't be the last time Obama and LeBron's paths crossed meaningfully. Battier mentioned that two years later, in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, LeBron had one of the greatest games of his life to keep the Miami Heat's championship hopes alive. 'It's the greatest game I have seen anybody play,' Battier recalled.
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