CHICAGO — As WNBA All-Star practices were set to begin on Friday at the new Obama Presidential Center’s basketball court, players gathered on the court with WNBA dignitaries and Obama Foundation representatives. It was only fitting that the first person to ever play on the court show up to welcome them.
Former President Barack Obama made a surprise appearance to welcome the 22 All-Stars, who are the first professional athletes to take the WNBA-regulation Home Court. In his remarks, Obama praised the players for the trajectory of the league.
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“The way the game has been going lately, the way it’s been picking up, and people paying attention to your excellence, I think has been something for basketball fans generally a sight to see,” he said. “It’s been making me happy. All of you have been not just operating with some excellence on the court, but I know many of you are involved in some wonderful ventures off the court, looking out for young people and inspiring them. So I just want to say thanks.”
He went on to rib the players as they began practice for their exhibition.
“This doesn’t look like the toughest practice I’ve ever seen,” Obama joked. “But it’s All-Star break, ya’ll aren’t supposed to be working too hard, although I suspect it may get a little competitive toward the end of the game.”
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Obama concluded by reiterating how impressed he is with the growth of the game.
“Could not be prouder of what you guys are doing,” he said. “You’re well deserving of all your success, and seeing the fan base grow and the attention grow, that’s exactly where it should be.”
The All-Stars practiced and held media availability at the Obama Center ahead of Friday night’s 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge at Wintrust Arena. Obama said he is not able to attend Saturday night’s All-Star Game at the United Center.
The Obama Presidential Center, which opened on Chicago’s South Side in June, features a separate, 60,000-square-foot building with a dedicated basketball court that he christened with a game of “H.O.R.S.E.” upon the center’s opening.
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Obama is famously a basketball fan and has played the game recreationally throughout his career. He and former First Lady Michelle Obama attended the 2026 NBA All-Star Game earlier this year in Los Angeles, and he joined NBA Africa as a strategic partner and minority owner in 2021. He also hosted several WNBA championship teams during his eight years in the White House.
