In Africa, Obama The Basketball Star
Posted by: Baller-in-Chief in Articles, International(From Innocent Mbunwe at the Cameroon Post Online)
Africa: Obama; the Basketball Star
“Yes we Can”, the slogan of the new White House tenant, Barack Obama, cut across all his activities, including sports, particularly basketball.
The newly inaugurated US President, fell in love with basketball when he was a kindergarten kid. Since then, basketball has been an important part of his life from his childhood through his years at Harvard Law School and into the White House.
Basketball can be said to be the factor that linked him to his father, Barack Husein Obama Senior of Kenyan origin who left America when he was only two years old. Obama’s father returned to America eight years later for a brief Christmas visit. While in the US, his father discovered that the son was in love with basketball and bought him an orange ball as a souvenir.
The gift fascinated Obama pleasantly, for he was meeting his dad for the first time in his life.While at the Punahou High School as a basketball player, Obama was nicknamed, “Obomber” because of his jump shot. His coach at the time, Chris McLachlin, made Obama a reserve player not because he was not a good player but because of his flashy play style which the coach did not appreciate.
“He could have played as first choice player on any other team in the state. He was that good. We just happened to have just a team that was pretty loaded,” McLachlin said when Obama confronted him on why he was on the bench.
At the campus of the Punahou School, Obama could often be seen carrying books in one hand and dribbling a basketball in the other.”He will be the first one to practice, and after practice, he’d go to the park and play more. So his passion for the game is unmatched by most of the players I’ve ever had.” added McLachlin.
Basketball was also used as a yard-stick for Obama’s relationship with his wife, Michelle Obama.Most Americans truly believe that the way someone plays basketball definitely gives you a sense of who they are in their character, Michelle Obama, when she began dating the husband, asked her brother, Craig Robinson, currently a basketball coach, to test her new boyfriend, Obama, on the court.
Robinson reported back that Obama was confident and unselfish, which fostered their relationship.Obama continued playing the game right to Harvard University where he studied. At Harvard, his long arms, quick first step and being a solid jumper made him difficult to guard in a game.
Basketball is very therapeutic for Obama. He feels that the game brings him back to a place where he can be completely himself and can make him relax.During his presidential campaigns, the White House occupant would play the game in most of the States he visited to relief himself from stress.
Barack Obama played basketball with the military during one of his tour to Afghanistan, the Middle East and Europe. He even bruised himself because of the game in Afghanistan and visited the hospital immediately after his return to the US.
Even on Election Day, the African-American President continued with the game where he was battered after accidentally getting knocked to the ground by his friend, Alexi Giannoulias, the Illinois State Treasurer. He was hit in the chest when he got in the way of the shoulder of Giannoulias as the player drove to the basket.
“I could play basketball with a consuming passion that would always exceed my limited talent,” Obama wrote in his memoir.Obama during one of his games during the campaigns said, he would like to construct a basketball court in the White House. “I hear there’s a lane in the White House and obviously we are going to get rid of the passage and replaced it with a basketball court.” Obama said.
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