Current:Home > ScamsFastexy Exchange|Former President Barack Obama surprises at USA Basketball's 50th anniversary party -Secure Growth Academy
Fastexy Exchange|Former President Barack Obama surprises at USA Basketball's 50th anniversary party
NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-10 12:17:50
LAS VEGAS – With the U.S. men’s basketball team standing behind him,Fastexy Exchange former President Barack Obama delivered a 10-minute speech about the importance of representing the United States.
At USA Basketball’s 50th anniversary party Tuesday night, Obama, whose attendance was a surprise to most in the room, opened his message by telling the audience that there is no bigger basketball fan in the world than him.
He talked about the importance of uniting the country and showing the world what America is capable of at its best.
“I’m pretty confident that they’re going to be bringing back the gold and representing us the way we should be represented around the world," Obama said.
MORE:Clippers star Kawhi Leonard withdraws from U.S. Olympic basketball team
Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from
∎The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Multiple basketball Hall of Famers, Olympians and USA Basketball luminaries were in attendance, including Spencer Haywood, Cheryl Miller, Dawn Staley, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Sheryl Swoopes, Patrick Ewing, Nancy Lieberman, Reggie Miller, Steve Smith, Tim Hardaway, Doug Collins, Mike Krzyzewski and Jerry Colangelo.
“I just want to come here to obviously help send off the soon-to-be gold-medal winners,” Obama said. “But I want to come by and say thank you to the legends who have represented USA Basketball and America for 50 years now.”
Earlier in the day, Vice President Kamala Harris visited briefly with the U.S. men’s team at practice on the UNLV campus.
Team USA opened its five-game exhibition tune-up for the Paris Olympics on Wednesday against Canada. Obama was in attendance for the contest.
"To have President Obama come – and he's great with the microphone and really inspiring with his words – it was cool to set us off into this journey this summer with celebrating the 50 years of USAB and what we're trying to do this summer," Steph Curry said. "So I got goosebumps while he was talking."
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt
veryGood! (1679)
Related
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Tech consultant spars with the prosecutor over details of the death of Cash App founder Bob Lee
- In an AP interview, the next Los Angeles DA says he’ll go after low-level nonviolent crimes
- Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin to kick off fundraising effort for Ohio women’s suffrage monument
- Small twin
- Up to 20 human skulls found in man's discarded bags, home in New Mexico
- Florida Man Arrested for Cold Case Double Murder Almost 50 Years Later
- Only 8 monkeys remain free after more than a week outside a South Carolina compound
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin to kick off fundraising effort for Ohio women’s suffrage monument
Ranking
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Japan to resume V-22 flights after inquiry finds pilot error caused accident
- Trading wands for whisks, new Harry Potter cooking show brings mess and magic
- Florida man’s US charges upgraded to killing his estranged wife in Spain
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families
- Seattle man faces 5 assault charges in random sidewalk stabbings
- What Republicans are saying about Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general
Recommendation
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
RHOBH's Erika Jayne Reveals Which Team She's on Amid Kyle Richards, Dorit Kemsley Feud
Advance Auto Parts is closing hundreds of stores in an effort to turn its business around
The Fate of Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager's Today Fourth Hour Revealed
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Could trad wives, influencers have sparked the red wave among female voters?
Mississippi expects only a small growth in state budget
Satire publication The Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars at auction with help from Sandy Hook families