Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game may have featured the best basketball players duking it out against one another, but it was former president Barack Obama who stole the show with an accidental intervention. Clips of the celebrated politician inadvertently intercepting a loose ball have since gone viral on the internet, with fans buzzing over Obama’s cameo in the star-studded match-up.
Barack Obama catches loose ball at NBA match
President Barack Obama comes up with the loose ball courtside! pic.twitter.com/HFcfdV4ehM
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
On February 15, the NBA All-Star round-robin clash between the USA Stars and the World Team featured a distinguished lineup of attendees, including Barack Obama, his wife, Michelle Obama, basketball legend Julius Erving, and more.
At one point during the game, a deflected loose ball ended up flying out of the court, only for the two-time president to catch it on his courtside seat. The incident incited laughter in the crowd, including Michelle Obama. In a video shared by the NBA’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, the former First Lady could be seen making animated gestures while her husband looked on.
Obama scored some more points with the public during an on-court interview with former Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller. Taking a jibe at the Hall of Famer, Obama, who famously supports the Chicago Bulls, noted, “I always enjoyed watching us beat Indiana. Although I will say that nobody terrified me more than Reggie Miller with a possible 3-point shot at the end of a game.”
The NBA All-Star Game, which had Barack and Michelle Obama in attendance, ended in favor of the USA Stars, who ran out 37-35 victors at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The Stars lost their remaining round-robin match-up against the USA Stripes, but still managed to qualify for the final, owing to the World Team’s winless run at the event. The Stars ultimately triumphed in the Championship game, beating the Stripes comfortably with a scoreline of 47-21.
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on Mandatory.
