It’s not All-Star Weekend without #44. As expected, Barack Obama was in Intuit Dome tonight to soak in the All-Star Game. Armed with the NBC mic, Reggie Miller had to get a mean soundbite from him. Between getting the former POTUS’ opinion on the state of the ASG, he also had find out what moment in the NBA era he grew up with remains unforgettable. Because that’s a diehard Chicago sports fan and he’s talking to Reggie Miller, the ex president couldn’t let Miller forget a piece of debatable history.

While the weekend featured a radical new three-team “USA vs. World” format, the conversation quickly pivoted to the golden era of Chicago basketball. During a lighthearted courtside exchange with Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller, the former President didn’t hesitate to reveal his favorite memories from the Bulls’ dynasty.

“I always enjoyed watching us beat Indiana,” Obama joked, leaning into his deep Chicago roots. Despite his fandom, Obama admitted to the immense stress Miller caused the city during that era. “I will say that nobody terrified me more than Reggie Miller with a possible three-point shot at the end of a game.”

The banter took a competitive turn when Obama brought up the infamous 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, a series that nearly ended the Bulls’ “Last Dance.” Refering to the legendary Indiana sharpshooter, Obama joked, “You did push off Michael on that one play, though.”

Clearly Obama is one of the Chicago natives who hasn’t forgotten that end in Game 4 of the 1998 ECFs. With 3 seconds left in the game, Miller had pushed off Michael Jordan to catch an inbound pass and drain a shot that won the Pacers 96-94. It was the Pacers only win that series. But Bulls fans feel that Miller should’ve been called for an offensive foul on MJ.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Miller didn’t back down. He said everybody did that in the ’90s and referenced Jordan doing the same to Byron Russell in the Utah series.

Surprisingly the Knicks Killer himself conceded it should’ve been a foul and even Obama admitted Jordan should’ve got the call in Utah series. It’s easy given Miller’s longtime friendship with Obama going beyond that Pacers-Bulls rivalry. But the basketball-loving prez did challenge Miller to a 1vs1 game though. Maybe for the next All-Star weekend.

With the 1998 hatchet buried though, Obama addressed another debate.

Obama Addresses Decline in All-Star Weekend Buzz

Beyond the nostalgia, the President addressed the growing criticism that the All-Star Weekend had lost its competitive edge. In recent years, fans and analysts have complained about the lack of effort in the mid-season showcase that Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant brought.

However, Obama noted that the shift toward a global rivalry has injected much-needed life into the event. “Look, I know a lot of people have been concerned about the All-Star Game not being, not seeing as much effort,” Obama noted. “Today we saw it, and I do think that whenever you get an international team against an American team, they want to compete, and you’ve got some young guys who I think want to prove something out here.”

Obama credited the “Dream Team” of 1992 for sparking theUSA vs World format today. Directly attributing the presence of Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama to the Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird-led 1992 Olympics team.

Obama hopes to make basketball even more accessible than that with the Barack Obama Presidential Center, set to open in June 2026.