When Barack Obama had free time during his administration as President of the United States, he indulged in his passion for basketball. And he shared that passion with his wife, Michelle. The former First Lady’s knowledge of the game may even rival her husband’s, as demonstrated by her NBA GOAT ranking.
Advertisement
Barack Obama was and still is a massive hoops head. One of his favorite times of the year during his presidency was hosting the annual NBA champion at the White House. His connection with the NBA didn’t stop there; Obama even held private basketball games that included a handful of NBA stars. Kevin Durant was among the group, but the majority remain a secret.
Before the former Democratic Party leader pursued a career in politics, he watched basketball religiously. As a result, he has a deep understanding of the game, which is evident in his all-time starting five.
Obama included a hybrid of past legends and some current-day superstars. His all-time lineup consists of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant and Hakeem Olajuwon. A team of those five would certainly wreak havoc on any defense.
Obama’s criteria was simple. “Former U.S. President Obama made it clear that this would be his favorite all-time starting five to watch. He also thinks they would be unbeatable,” Andrew Holleran of The Spun said.
Obama originally revealed this dream lineup in July. Less than a month later, his wife came to the fray to add her twist to a similar question.
In a recent appearance on the All The Smoke podcast, Stephen Jackson asked Michelle Obama and her brother Craig Robinson a series of rapid-fire questions, putting them both on the spot. “MJ, LeBron, Kobe, rank them,” Jackson said.
Michelle didn’t seem the slightest bit phased. She proceeded to list the players in the same order that Jackson read them out. Craig followed in the same footsteps as his sister and had some words of admiration for her list. “Very good, I’m impressed. It’s a personal question,” Robinson said.
The Princeton and Harvard graduates’ order of the three legends isn’t outlandish at all. Many would argue the consensus would put Jordan, James and Kobe Bryant in the same order Michelle did. She may not love basketball as much as her husband, but she has been around the game enough to know a thing or two.
