Former President Barack Obama made an unexpected appearance at the WNBA All-Star practice in Chicago on Friday morning, engaging with players and offering words of encouragement.
Obama, whose Presidential Center is located on Chicago's South Side, spent time speaking with the players, posing for photos, and even engaging in a lighthearted defensive drill with New York Liberty star Jonquel Jones.
"He was playing good ‘D’," Jones said of Obama's efforts to guard her. "But I also went out last night, so I’m not in my best form right now."
Obama expressed his admiration for the players and the growth of the WNBA. "Some of you I’m meeting for the first time. All of you are extraordinary and I could not be bigger fans," he told the assembled athletes. "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."
Caitlin Clark, another player at the practice, shared that Obama offered her advice on handling the spotlight. "He just complimented me for the way that I handle everything, obviously with everything that’s been going on," Clark said. "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.’ "
Breanna Stewart, who has known Obama through previous White House visits after UConn's championship wins, noted the significance of the practice being held at the Obama Presidential Center, which opened recently. Stewart also weighed in on recent NBA news, humorously reacting to a question about LeBron James' free agency.
The WNBA will not be wearing the "USA 250" commemorative patches that several other professional sports leagues have adopted in honor of America's 250th birthday, according to Stewart.