Barack Obama proved he’s still got game on Sunday night, snagging a loose ball from his courtside seat at the NBA All-Star Game in a play that instantly stole the show from some of the league’s biggest names.
President Barack Obama comes up with the loose ball courtside! pic.twitter.com/HFcfdV4ehM
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
The former president was sitting with Michelle Obama at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles when the ball came his way. He secured it cleanly, like a man who’s spent decades playing pickup basketball—which, of course, he has.
But Obama wasn’t done. During an on-court interview with Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, the longtime Chicago Bulls fan couldn’t resist a dig at Miller’s Indiana Pacers, who spent the 1990s getting steamrolled by Michael Jordan.
“I always enjoyed watching us beat Indiana,” Obama said, prompting a playful back-and-forth about the Bulls-Pacers playoff wars.
BREAKING: While Donald Trump and JD Vance get booed at any outing, President Obama is still beloved by America. This is amazing. pic.twitter.com/nwX6rC6Xth
— Democratic Wins Media (@DemocraticWins) February 15, 2026
When the Obamas appeared on the arena’s video display, reports from inside the venue say they received a warm ovation from the crowd—a stark contrast to the reception a current political figure might expect in deep-blue Los Angeles.
The moment comes as the former president remains one of the most popular figures in Democratic politics, even as he’s largely stayed out of the spotlight since leaving office. He’s previously spoken about his love of basketball, famously installing a court at Camp David and playing regular games with staffers during his presidency.
Sunday’s All-Star Game used a new round-robin tournament format, giving Obama plenty of basketball to watch. But for at least a few seconds, the 44th president was the main event.