By Les Tan

If you love rugby or football or netball, sorry. But right now, basketball is the coolest sport on the planet.

Why?

Because United States President-elect Barack Obama is a basketball player. He started playing at 10 years of age, fell in love with the game and became part of his high school’s state championship winning team although he was not a starter.

Obama’s election to the highest political office in the United States has been hailed within and without America as a historic event.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Barack Obama recalled how the sport helped to build his character and give him a sense of identity growing up.

Not only did he play regular 5-on-5 ball, he also could survive playing street ball, a meaner, rougher version of basketball where there are no refs and the only rule is if there’s no blood, there’s no foul.

And if you still can’t believe this US president-elect can play, there is a highlight reel on YouTube of him playing back in his younger days while wearing number 23, long before Michael Jordan made the number 23 famous.

So sorry guys, hoops rules for now.

Basketball facts about Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.:
6’2″ (1.88m)
left-handed
nicknamed “Barry O’Bomber”
played for Punahou School, Hawaii
jersey number 23 (before Michael Jordan even wore that number)
born August 4, 1961
known also as “Barry” to his childhood friends

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYCEnVmNkpE

Related stories:
New York Times: The Great State of the N.B.A. Votes for Obama
Toronto Star: ‘Basketball guy’ Obama a winner in Raptorland
New York Times: One Place Where Obama Goes Elbow to Elbow
ABC News: The ‘Rat Ballers’ – Obama’s High School Crew
MSNBC: Obama had multi-ethnic existence in Hawaii
Sports Illustrated: Obama discusses his hoops memories at Punahou High