Former President Barack Obama surprises WNBA All-Stars at their practice at his Presidential Center

Sport admin July 24, 2026 0 Comments

Former President Barack Obama surprises WNBA All-Stars at their practice at his Presidential Center

CHICAGO — Caitlin Clark was in awe after meeting former President Barack Obama after he surprised the WNBA All-Stars on Friday at his Presidential Center.

Clark called her conversation with Obama “a moment I’ll probably remember for the rest of my life.”

“It was obviously super cool. He just complimented me for the way that I handle everything, obviously with everything that’s been going on,” the Indiana Fever star said Friday after meeting Obama. “He’s somebody that has been in front of the media quite a bit and he reminded me, ‘When I got famous in my 40s, I didn’t have to do it in my 20s.’”

Obama spoke to the players for a few minutes on the basketball court at the center which opened last month.

“Some of you I’m meeting for the first time. All of you are extraordinary and I could not be bigger fans,” Obama said. “The way the game has been growing lately, the way it’s been picking up and people paying attention to your excellence, I think it’s been something for basketball fans, generally, a sight to see. It’s been making me happy.”

Obama then spent about 10 minutes shaking hands with the players and taking photos with them, including Clark.

“I know many of you are involved in some wonderful ventures off the court, looking out for other young people and inspiring them. I just wanted to say thanks,” Obama said.

The former president gave a shout out to A’ja Wilson in his talk to the players and then went over and chatted with her as well.

After the photo-ops were done, Obama stepped on the court and talked with New York Liberty star Jonquel Jones, getting down in a defensive stance for a few seconds on her.

“I feel like as a hooper, you know when someone’s challenging you. So I was just like, let me go over there with the basketball, you know, do a little cross, bump him a little bit,” Jones said. “And I knew that I would get him activated a little because he’s a hooper, too.”

Obama was the first sitting US President to attend a WNBA game when he and his daughter, Sasha, sat courtside in 2010 for a Washington Mystics game.

Obama was gifted with a No. 44 WNBA All-Star jersey that the players were going to autograph later.

This was the first professional sport to use the basketball court at the center, which opened in June. Obama said he unfortunately wasn’t going to be able to make the All-Star Game on Saturday because of a previous engagement with his wife, Michelle.

“It’s fitting for our 30th anniversary that we’re here as the first sports league to play in the Obama Presidential Center,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “Someone who has inspired hundreds of millions of people to dream big and accomplish things like President Obama has and his tie to basketball is amazing, too. I think there’s no more fitting person to be meeting with the players.”

WNBA All-Star rosters

Team Coop (GM: Cynthia Cooper)

Paige Bueckers (Wings), Sonia Citron (Mystics), Kahleah Copper (Mercury, replacement for Kelsey Plum), Natasha Howard (Lynx), Marina Mabrey (Tempo), Dominique Malonga (Storm), Kelsey Mitchell (Fever), Angel Reese (Dream), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Gabby Williams (Valkyries), Jackie Young (Aces)

Team Spoon (GM: Teresa Weatherspoon)

Caitlin Clark (Fever), Aliyah Boston (Fever), Allisha Gray (Dream), Rhyne Howard (Dream), Kiki Iriafen (Mystics), Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Olivia Miles (Lynx), Nneka Ogwumike (Sparks), Jessica Shepard (Wings), Courtney Williams (Lynx), A’ja Wilson (Aces)

3-point contest

Bridget Carleton (Fire), Azzi Fudd (Wings), Natisha Hiedeman (Storm), Howard, Mabrey, Janelle Salaün (Valkyries)

Shooting Stars

Current players: Shakira Austin (Mystics), Flau’jae Johnson (Storm), Shepard, Williams (Lynx). WNBA legends: Rebekkah Brunson (Lynx), Elena Delle Donne (Mystics), Lauren Jackson (Storm), Deanna Nolan (Wings). Nike NYBL players: Jezelle Banks, Ryan Carter, Tatianna Griffin and Morghan Reckley