Former President Barack Obama surprises WNBA All-Stars at their practice at his Presidential Center - AP News

What the report says

Associated Press reports that former President Barack Obama made an unannounced visit Friday to a WNBA All-Star practice at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The appearance took place July 24, 2026, at the newly opened center in Jackson Park on the South Side, where 22 All-Stars were gathered during All-Star festivities.

Obama addressed the players briefly on the court, praised their impact on and off the floor, and said the sport’s recent growth and wider attention to players’ excellence had been gratifying for basketball fans. He posed for a group photo, greeted players individually and took pictures with several All-Stars, including Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, Jackie Young and New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones.

Clark told AP the meeting was a lasting personal moment, saying Obama complimented how she has handled heightened public attention. Jones, who had met Obama before, described him as a role model and briefly engaged him on the court, where he dropped into a defensive stance before ending his participation. Obama said he no longer plays full 5-on-5 basketball because he wants to protect his Achilles, though he had already played a game of “horse” on the court.

The visit also connected to Obama’s longer relationship with women’s basketball. AP noted he was the first sitting U.S. president to attend a WNBA game, when he and daughter Sasha watched the Washington Mystics courtside in 2010, and that he hosted multiple WNBA and NCAA championship teams at the White House. Players planned to autograph a No. 44 WNBA All-Star jersey presented to him.