Lakers represented in pickup game with President Obama
When President Obama played in an organized star-studded "Dream Team" of sorts pickup basketball game Sunday, the Lakers were well represented.
Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol, coming off back-to-back NBA championships after defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in June, were part of the group that included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose. Bryant was unable to play because he's still recovering from right knee surgery he had last month.
Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson also participated in the game that was played at Fort McNair, which is in the District of Columbia. The game was played in front of wounded veterans and participants in a White House mentoring program.
"It was one of the highlights of my life," Johnson said Monday after he had returned home to Los Angeles. "It was just amazing. We got a chance to play pickup basketball with the president of the United States and I had a chance to play with the best basketball players in the world and got to go on the White House lawn and have a barbeque. You can't ask for anything better than that."
Obama, who turned 49 last Wednesday, treated himself with a special birthday gift by playing with the hoop stars.
"It was good that four Lakers were represented," Johnson said. "Obama hit the game-winner in one of the games. It was amazing. It really was just a lot of fun."
-- Broderick Turner
too bad BSPN didn't mention Kobe, Gasol or Fish AT ALL...
tsc tsc tsc...
Posted by: Magic Phil | August 09, 2010 at 06:37 PM
I heard Danny Ainge was asking about Obama's availability for next season in an attempt to counter the Lakers Derek Fisher if the Celtics get back to the finals. President Obama explained that he wouldn't take the vet minimum.
Posted by: 63 Footer | August 09, 2010 at 06:52 PM
DANG this seems cool. Magic including himself as one of the four Lakers. Now THAT's what I'm talking about! That's something Shaq can never do.
Man I love Magic. He is the reason I have the deep bond for the Lakers. There is alot to love about the Lakers, but Magic is it for me.
I think that Magic's predictions about us losing in the Finals this year have more to do with him trying to earn respect as an NBA analyst and not just a Laker homer.
When you have so much Joss (luck, good fortune, goodwill) built up as Magic does with us, he can stand the hit and be okay. I didn't like it, but I get what he was doing. If he wants to be taken seriously by the NBA community as an impartial analyst, he almost had to do what he did.
We'll be alright.
Posted by: JohnnyV | August 09, 2010 at 06:54 PM
Glad to see Lakers Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Magic Johnson play against President Obama. No Celtics invited?
Posted by: Gilbert Battung | August 09, 2010 at 06:56 PM
Must be nice to be the President, just summon all the basketball stars like that.
Posted by: Chuckles | August 09, 2010 at 06:56 PM
Why don't Magic get somewhere and sit his azz down? Stop trying to re-live the past............Look at the clock Earvin! It's over!
Can you imagine Larry Bird and Micheal Jordan still out there hooping? Give it up Magic and stop trying to invade today's stars territory.
Posted by: pfunk36 | August 09, 2010 at 07:22 PM
PRESIDENT OBAMA IS SO SPECIAL. HE AND MRS. OBAMA WOULD BE WELCOME AT OUR HOUSE ANYTIME. GOD BLESS THEM. PSALMS 48;1
Posted by: RICK | August 09, 2010 at 08:06 PM
Wow, some negative people on here sure are morons. Geez!
Posted by: Extensor | August 09, 2010 at 08:07 PM
pfunk,
I love Magic Johnson, but I was thinking the same thing..Talk about using his past to get what he wanted! He's too old to be in something like that.
Posted by: zen (The original) | August 09, 2010 at 08:09 PM
Who paid for the party? How much did tax payers contribute to the VIP bash? How does this help our economy and the growing list of unemployed?
Posted by: who cares | August 09, 2010 at 08:24 PM
Good lord, those criticizing Magic for taking part in a pickup game with the president - there is no other way to put it - are IDIOTS!
C'mon people! You are talking about possibly the greatest player in NBA history having some fun with the President of the United States! Get over it, my god I just can't believe some people would have a problem with Magic shooting some hoops with Obama. Sheesh....
Anyways, it would have been fun to see, I'd rather see this game than any pre-season football game for instance -heck any football game for that matter. Or baseball. If LeBron could televise his lame 'Decision' then this should have been televised 1000x moreso.
It's nice to see the Lakers well represented!
Posted by: CyberCosmiX | August 09, 2010 at 08:55 PM
Knocking Magic . . . imbeciles. Absolute *&%)&(%#.
Posted by: Otis | August 09, 2010 at 09:11 PM
Those who criticized Magic don't know what they're talking about. If they had an opportunity to do the same, they'd do it, I'm sure. Magic's not much older than Obama, who hit a game winning shot. Besides, it's not about competition, it was about having great players, past and present at his party having fun. I'm sure Magic can still take them to the hole in a heartbeat even if those haters may be young. Go Magic and all "TRUE" LAKERS who participated in fun times with this hard working President. He deserves a break with the best.
Posted by: Donald | August 09, 2010 at 09:12 PM
Yeah, don't know why age is getting thrown in here. Bill Russell and Alonzo participated too. Somebody want to say they shouldn't have? This thing was largely put on to entertain wounded troops. I'm sure they appreciated it... highly doubt they were complaining about the participation of "old people".
Posted by: dave m | August 09, 2010 at 10:04 PM
I don't blame Magic for doing it..But I doubt he was invited..He requested to be there using his celebrity.
Posted by: zen (The original) | August 09, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Jase,
Just to put things in proper order, the President is the son of a black and white parents. The White House didn't turn black, it is still called the White House.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | August 09, 2010 at 10:25 PM
it's a pick up game u morons!!! get a life will you
Posted by: emmanuel mallari jr | August 09, 2010 at 10:50 PM
You sure about that, zen? That Magic wasn't invited? That's a pretty harsh statement.
Posted by: dave m | August 09, 2010 at 10:53 PM
I think those who criticized magic was just airing their anger, when he predicted that the lakers losing in the final this year. True die hard lakers fan do not want anything negative comments against the lakers
Posted by: Nor Muss Estudillo | August 10, 2010 at 12:11 AM
Great fun for all who participated in that pick up game with President Obama. I'm sure the wounded veterans had a blast and got to meet some pro basketball greats - current and past. Smiles, fun, BBQ, hoops ... happy birthday Mr. President.
Posted by: RedBluffPete | August 10, 2010 at 05:41 AM
The Magic bashing is ridiculous. If Obama took part in the game, I am sure Magic was not the worst player on that court. I wonder if anyone posted up Barack and gave him a few elbows.
Posted by: Chuckles | August 10, 2010 at 07:00 AM
Wow that must have been pretty special. Shows how much Obama luvs hoops. Sure Jordan was invited, Obama being a Jordan and Bulls fan, but Jordan probably declined because of his ego. Magic will always be the face of Lakers. Always. Obama is from Magic's generation so he understands that. Obama invited Magic, Magic didnt invite himself! Magic represents hope to a lot of people with HIV. No one! myself included believed he would live this long. He can do want he wants!!
Posted by: lew | August 10, 2010 at 07:49 AM
I would have liked to had a hamburger and watch that game.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | August 10, 2010 at 10:00 AM
I would have preferred a cheeseburger and fries.
Posted by: Art - FL Laker Fan | August 10, 2010 at 11:04 AM
Magic will always have skills to play ball until the day he moves on. And the answer to who pays for anything at the White House is the same answer to who's been paying for it since the conception of the White House. Now run and tell that one!
Posted by: Lakerfansince1966 | August 10, 2010 at 12:25 PM
Here is the reason why Magic will always be the greatest player to ever play the game: "He could play all five positions". I met Magic in a parking lot back in 1997 and gave him my opinion as to why he was the greatest ever to play the game, not Michael Jordan and he laughed, but I know he agreed with me.
Magic Johnson is the "Greatest Basketball Player of all Time". If you ever played ball you understand. So stop the hate.
Posted by: Lakerfansince1966 | August 10, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Last time I checked, Magic was thoroughly supporting Hillary Clinton. Nice to see how he's changed his loyalties. Also, I hope these players paid their own way, because as a taxpayer, I'd be pretty pissed off if we paid for all this.
Posted by: D | August 10, 2010 at 01:17 PM
yeah, it would be bad if those free loading wounded troops had their day brightened and forgot about their supreme sacrifice to our country at my expense.
I sure hope they were able to pass a collection plate (if their artificial limbs were working properly) to pay for all this silliness.
Anything so that the miser "D" above won't have to fork over literally his penny to contribute.
My God, it ain't the mexicans that will kill this country, its the small minded pricks like D who will.
Posted by: the Q | August 10, 2010 at 03:06 PM
Remember, Magic supported Clinton in the primary. He received a zinger of sorts from our president when the Lakers visited the White House last year. Magic was my idol as a child--second to none. But his business ventures and sponsorship of casinos leaves much to be desired. He's a corporate shill now, developing meaningless franchises in urban areas that could use more than starbucks and cineplexes.
Posted by: kaspian808 | August 10, 2010 at 08:27 PM
I really hope this would not stop average citizens playing Pickup Basketball Games lol
Posted by: Pickup Basketball Games | February 11, 2011 at 03:28 PM