Barack Obama discusses legendary pickup games with Los Angeles Lakers icons

Basketball has a way of connecting people that few sports are able to emulate. It's one of the most internationally prominent sports in the world, with the modern NBA playing home to stars from countries such as Cameroon, Canada, France, Greece, Serbia, and Slovenia.

One of the individuals who has epitomized, promoted, and embraced the far-reaching nature of basketball is former U.S. president Barack Obama.

Obama captivated the masses during his political career, due in no small part to his ability to appeal to the everyday sensibilities of the American public. One of the most famous aspects of his out-of-office charm was his interest in sports—namely basketball.

In a recent appearance on The Young Man and The Three with Tyrese Haliburton, Obama spoke about the most well-documented venture of his basketball experience: White House pickup games with legendary NBA players.

"49th birthday. We decide, well let's have our own little All-Star Game. So we set it up, sort of as a benefit because we had a bunch of Wounded Warriors in the stands so they could watch. And we set it up where we had three pros and two amateurs on every team. But everybody came. LeBron, D-Wade, Derrick Rose, I think coming off his MVP year. CP3, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Carmelo was there. Chauncey Billups, whole bunch of guys. "

Obama continued:

"And Kobe came, but Kobe had just come back from Germany. He had bloodwork, so he couldn't play but he sat in the stands. Bill Russell showed up. Magic came. And I'm pretty sure this was the last time Magic ever actually played full-court basketball. Or at least he tried. 'Cause we didn't think he was gonna play. So he puts on a jersey. He's throwing behind-the-back passes, but they're kind of going in the bleachers because I don't think he'd played for 10 years. But we had a great time."

Obama would go on to joke about how the players weren't going all-out, but still played harder than what fans are accustomed to seeing at the All-Star Game.

Barack Obama recounts pick-up game with Kobe, Magic, LeBron, Gasol

It remains one of the most legendary pickup games in basketball history, even if the competition was more jovial than intent on winning. It was a who's who of talent in 2010, however, including some of the biggest names in Lakers history.

Between Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson, there were 13 championships and eight MVPs divided between just the Lakers legends on hand.

Footage remains elusive of a game that featured generations of legends either on the court or in the stands. That includes longtime Lakers rival Bill Russell, who remains the winningest player in NBA history with 11 titles.

The legend of the White House pickup game will forever live on in the basketball world, even if we may never see how it actually played out.

The rest of the interview is equally as compelling, as Obama goes in-depth on the NBA and the sport of basketball at large. They discussed how universal the game has become, as well as the challenges facing Team USA and American players overall moving forward.

Obama also spoke about his preferred style of basketball, citing the current Indiana Pacers, dynasty-era Golden State Warriors, and Tim Duncan-led San Antonio Spurs.

If the Lakers' 2024-25 season opener is a sign of things to come, then they could soon make that list. JJ Redick has the ball moving freely among his players and is orchestrating a motion offense that blew away even the most staunch of Los Angeles critics.

In the meantime, Lakers fans will be left to imagine the extraordinary sight of some of the greatest players in NBA history taking the court with Obama at the White House.