Former U.S. President and basketball fan Barack Obama said he is “confident” in the future of the San Antonio Spurs.
Obama made the comments during an interview on the “All The Smoke” podcast hosted by former Spur Stephen Jackson and former NBA player Matt Barnes.
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“The reason I’m confident about San Antonio, when they were on the court, you know, they got that kind of game face on,” Obama said.
The former president has been a fixture at NBA games. He was courtside for the NBA All-Star Game in February, where he said he first saw Spurs center Victor Wembanyama play in person. He said Wembanyama will be as good as everyone expects.
“I don’t remember somebody that big moving like that,” Obama said. “He’s got to figure out what his go-to, you know, folks have talked about. He’s got to figure out where his go to move is. He’s going to have to put on some weight.”
Obama also said Wembanyama will have to work on his conditioning. He shared his thoughts on why the Spurs phenom may appear tired in games.
“It just looks to me like playing defense today is so much harder because you have to close out everything,” Obama said. “It used to be your Wemby, you just plant yourself in the paint and you’re a rim protector. But I’m watching him on defense now, the way they’re using him, he’s in the paint and then he’s trying to close out a three-pointer.”
Jackson, who spent parts of four seasons with the Spurs, said NBA defenses have changed throughout the years.
“I think they move a lot more. We did a lot of iso, so we just had to guard our man,” Jackson said. “I think now they’re moving pick and rolls and so much. That’s why it’s harder.”
Obama said while he likes De’Aaron Fox, the Spurs would have been better served by having a natural point guard on the floor. He stated that the Spurs may have that player on the roster already.
“I think (Dylan) Harper will be that guy, but he’s 20,” Obama said. “Sometimes I look at these guys, and I have to remind myself. Sasha, my younger daughter, just turned 25. These kids are... five years younger than my baby.”
Barnes, who spent 17 seasons in the NBA, added that being young in the NBA is sometimes a good thing.
“Sometimes you’re too young...to fear anything, you know, kind of young and dumb,” Barnes said. “I don’t mean dumb in a bad way, but just kind of like, oh man, we’re going up against so-and-so. Like you don’t care about that because you’re so young, you just want to go out there and play basketball.”
The interview took place on the basketball court at the new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
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