Former President Barack Obama recently lauded the New York Knicks' championship run, specifically commending guard Jalen Brunson and forward OG Anunoby for their performances. Speaking on the "All the Smoke" podcast, Obama described Brunson as possessing "the heart of a champion" and highlighted his toughness, endurance, and mental fortitude.
Obama drew a parallel between Brunson's journey to stardom and that of Stephen Curry, noting that Brunson, a second-round draft pick, exceeded expectations on his way to becoming an NBA Finals MVP. "It’s the toughness and endurance and mental fortitude of that guy," Obama said. "You just felt like, ‘I’m going to keep coming and I’m not going to doubt myself and not going to let my team doubt myself.’ And for a second-round draft pick, who was a champion, who was a winner, you didn’t see it coming."
Of OG Anunoby, Obama questioned if there had been a better playoff series from a non-All-Star, calling him "just a rock" throughout the postseason. Anunoby averaged 20.1 points and 6.3 rebounds across 17 playoff games, playing a pivotal role in the Knicks' NBA Finals victory over the Spurs. His last-second tip-in during Game 4, contributing to a 29-point comeback at Madison Square Garden, was cited as a key moment.
Obama's praise for the Knicks comes weeks after former President Donald Trump also commended the team's owners and players for their historic NBA title win, which broke a 53-year drought. Trump described the playoff victories as potentially "the greatest in the history of basketball."
Knicks owner James Dolan has indicated the team would accept an invitation to visit the White House, which would mark the first NBA team to visit a president during his term. However, Brunson stated in a recent interview that a potential White House visit has not yet been discussed by the team.