Barack Obama, College Basketball Coach? Why the Former President Is Being Floated for UCLA's Gig
In between working on his upcoming Netflix series and running his foundation, at least one person thinks former President Barack Obama should be eyeing the NCAA sidelines, as well.
During the Stanford Cardinal men’s basketball team’s game against the UCLA Bruins on Thursday, former NBA player Bill Walton was asked by fellow ESPN broadcaster Dave Pasch about the recent coaching change up at the Los Angeles university.
“What type of characteristics should UCLA look for in their next coach?” asked Pasch, in the wake of Steve Alford’s Monday firing as the head of UCLA’s team.
Responded Walton — an alumna of UCLA — bluntly, “Barack Obama.”
In response, Pasch stated, “I don’t think he’s gonna coach.”
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“Well you keep saying that but why? Why are you so negative?” asserted Walton. “Why do you just turn down? His brother-in-law [Craig Robinson] coached. I’m sticking with Barack Obama until he says no.”
Though a coaching gig seems like a very unlikely next step for the 57-year-old former president, he does have an affection for basketball.
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Obama frequently released his brackets for March Madness during his tenure in office, and was known to participate in pick-up games with some formidable opponents — including LeBron James.
Speaking to Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show back in 2012, James said that Obama is “very, very good” on the basketball court.”
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“The thing that’s interesting is that if he makes a nice move, you kind of catch yourself,” Bryant said. “I’m going to steal the ball from him. Then all the sudden, I start peeking around looking for the CIA. I say, you know, I should just let him go.”
He added of the former president, “He talks a lot of trash. You know he’s from Chicago – the Bulls through and through. He always talks Bulls this, the Bulls that. I’m like, my goodness. Can I talk trash to the president?”
The former president is not the first politician to be suggested for a career in the pros in recent months. In November, former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice shot down reports that she’d been approached for the head coach role for the Cleveland Browns.
