President Barack Obama welcomed the World Champion Miami Heat to the White House today, in honor of the team’s recent victory in the NBA Finals.
Obama congratulated the team, but then also took some credit for himself, playfully noting that the Heat’s “skills had been sharpened” by pick-up games against him earlier in the year.
The Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, four games to one, in the NBA Finals last June.
The president went on to thank the team for supporting military service members, and for planning to visit the wounded warriors at Walter Reed Medical Center later in the day.
Obama also commended members of the team, particularly Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, for “taking their roles as fathers seriously,” and setting an example for young men across America.
LeBron James was chosen to present the president with a basketball signed by the team.
The crowd of well-wishers present at the White House for the event included U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.