The WNBA All-Stars were the first professional players to christen the court at the Obama Presidential Center.
So it was fitting that former President Barack Obama, a devoted basketball fan, surprised the group Friday with a short speech before greeting players individually.
“The way the game has been going lately, people paying attention to your excellence, it’s been making me happy,” Obama said.
His appearance left an impression on everyone, including one of the faces of the league.
Now in her third season, Caitlin Clark has helped bring an enormous new audience to the WNBA. Her stardom has also subjected her to scrutiny that often turns ugly and personal.
Obama called Clark “fantastic” and told her not to let all the “nonsense” get her down. He also acknowledged how difficult it must be to navigate fame at her age.
“Sometimes I think people don’t always realize that I’m 24 years old and trying to navigate a lot of different things, trying to play basketball at the same time,” Clark said. “It was cool to hear that from him.”
Obama, who said he had already put the court to use in a game of HORSE, also reminded Clark not to lose her joy for basketball. She took the message to heart.
“There are moments that are tiring and exhausting, but I still have the same love and joy for the game that I had when I first got here,” Clark said.
Copper meets Obama
How did former Sky star Kahleah Copper feel about meeting the former president?
“Oh my God, it was so cool,” Copper said. “The coolest thing for me is just how personable he is. It’s so genuine. He’s like, ‘You’re having a great season. I’m super proud of you.’ I’m like, ‘You watched me?’”
Copper, who led the Sky to the 2021 championship and earned Finals MVP honors, was selected to her sixth All-Star team this season.
“He’s not general,” Copper said of Obama. “He knows your name, knows how your season is going.”
Copper also said it was meaningful for the South Side community to have access to a place as impressive as the Obama Center.
Delle Donne still has it
Retired Sky star Elena Delle Donne has not lost her shooting touch.
Delle Donne and her teammates dominated the new Shooting Stars competition, which paired current and retired WNBA players with elite high school prospects.
Representing Team Washington, Delle Donne won alongside Mystics center Shakira Austin and Jezelle Banks, a player from Delle Donne’s former high school.
Delle Donne played for the Sky from 2013 to 2016 and won MVP with Chicago in 2015.
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