Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
In 2009, President Barack Obama told Bloomberg that once the White House's new basketball court was finished, "we're going to have some of these guys over for a game." By these guys, Obama meant basketball luminaries like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, and many, many more.
And though Obama reportedly played hoops today at Fort McNair, not the White House, the guest list was certainly star-studded.
The Phoenix Suns' Grant Hill said he was in town for a presidential pick-up game with the First Basketballer, along with a crew of other pros, including the Houston Rockets' Shane Battier....
In addition to Hill and Battier, other basketball notables present, both on and off the court, included Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, LeBron James, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Maya Moore, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Bill Russell, Etan Thomas, Dwyane Wade and David West, among others.
That Washington Post report is deliberately vague about who exactly was in the game, partly because pool reporters were not allowed in the gym. But, at the very least, having a Who's Who of Awesome Basketball Players (and, um, Etan Thomas) show up to your pickup game on a weekend with the boys is a nice perk of the Presidency.
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