Former U.S. president Barack Obama surprises WNBA All-Stars at their practice at his Presidential Center

Former U.S. president Barack Obama surprises a group of high school freshman girls during the WNBA Changemaker Day at the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on the South Side, Friday, July 24, 2026. (Candace Dane Chambers/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

CHICAGO — Former U.S. president Barack Obama surprised the WNBA All-Stars before their practice at his new Presidential Center on Friday.

Obama walked in from a side door much to the surprise of the 22 All-Stars, who were delighted to see him.

“Some of you I’m meeting for the first time, all of you are extraordinary,” Obama said. “The way the game has been growing lately and the way the game has been picking up people have been paying attention to your excellence. ... It has been a sight to see.”

This wasn’t the first time that Obama has met some of the players. Many have taken trips to the White House when he was president after they either won WNBA championships or NCAA titles.

He spoke to them for a few minutes before taking a group photo. Obama then spent about 10 minutes shaking hands with the players and taking photos with them. Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese took a selfie with the former U.S. president.

Obama also chatted with Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. The pair posed for a photo before Clark called in her Fever teammates Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell to join the picture.

The former U.S. president gave a shout out to A’ja Wilson in his talk to the players and then went over and chatted with her as well.

After the photo-ops were done, Obama stepped on the court and talked with New York Liberty star Jonquel Jones, getting down in a defensive stance for a few seconds on her. That was the extent of his time on the court. He told the players that he didn’t play 5-on-5 anymore to protect his Achilles. He did say that he broke in the court with a game of “horse.”

This was the first professional sport to use the basketball court at the centre, which opened in June. Obama went to the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles in February. Obama said he unfortunately wasn’t going to be able to make the All-Star Game on Saturday because of a previous engagement with his wife, Michelle.

“It’s fitting for our 30th anniversary that we’re here as the first sports league to play in the Obama Presidential Center,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Someone who has inspired hundreds of millions of people to dream big and accomplish things like president Obama has and his tie to basketball is amazing too. I think there’s no more fitting person to be meeting with the players.”

After talking to the players, Obama went across the centre to talk to a group of investors in the league and nearly 100 high school girls.

Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press