Tag: Michelle Obama

LSU’s Angel Reese declines Biden’s White House invitation: ‘We’ll go to the Obamas’

Angel Reese thought it was a “joke” that Iowa also received a White House invitation.

Even though LSU won the women’s college basketball championship, First Lady of the United States Jill Biden thought Iowa should visit the White House as well.

LSU’s Angel Reese, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, tweeted that Biden’s comments were “a joke” as it’s not customary for a losing team to receive such an invitation.

During a recent appearance on a podcast, I AM ATHLETE with Brandon Marshall and Ashley Nicole Moss, Reese expanded on her thoughts.

“If we were to lose, we would not be getting invited to the White House,” Reese said. This was another example of the double standard that Reese faced during her tournament run.

The First Lady’s Press Secretary, Vanessa Valdivia, said Biden’s comments were meant to “applaud the historic game and all women’s athletes” and that she looks forward to celebrating LSU’s victory at the White House.

LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey initially said that the team would attend the White House. She has previously visited the White House after championship wins for Baylor in 2005 (visiting with President George W. Bush), 2012 (visiting with President Barack Obama), and 2019 (visiting with President Donald Trump).

Reese, however, posted on Instagram and insisted they aren’t coming. Here is what she said (at the 27-minute mark):

“I don’t accept the apology because you said what you said … You can’t go back on certain things that you say … They can have that spotlight. We’ll go to the Obamas’. We’ll go see Michelle. We’ll see Barack.”

Reese’s teammate, Alexis Morris, posted on Twitter asking if the Obama family would want to host them at their house. Former President Barack Obama tweeted his congratulations to the Tigers.

We will see if Barack and Michelle extend an invitation to Reese and her teammates, but it is also worth noting that this wouldn’t be the first time that LSU declined an invitation from the First Lady.

Reese also indicated that Biden was supposed to come to their locker room before the game, but she said the team said no.

When asked why, she said it was because President Biden “put somebody else” to win the national championship and didn’t have LSU in his bracket. For context: Biden predicted Villanova would win the title and his pre-tournament bracket did not have LSU advancing past the second round.

Biden isn’t exactly known for having impressive predictive skills about the sports world. His incredibly chalky bracket was unfortunately busted by an early Arizona loss not six hours after he published it.

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Michelle Obama gifted Barack Obama a Valentino Dixon original for Christmas

A golf-themed painting given to Barack Obama this Christmas carries with it one of golf’s most unique stories from the past few years.

A golf-themed painting given to Barack Obama from his wife Michelle this Christmas carries with it one of golf’s most unique stories from the past few years. According to a report by Golf Digest, No. 44 received a hand-drawn rendering of the 12th hole at Augusta National created by Valentino Dixon.

Dixon spent 27 years of a life sentence in prison for a murder he didn’t commit but was exonerated in 2018. Golf Digest reporting played a major role in Dixon’s release.

Dixon’s story was recently featured on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, which is celebrating its 25th season. Michelle Obama reportedly saw the segment and was so moved she purchased a Dixon original of the iconic hole.

After his 2018 release, Dixon credited the numerous golf paintings he created during his incarceration for keeping him going. Interestingly, the painting that will now reside with the Obamas was Dixon’s first work completed as a free man. Golf Digest reports it’s a 20-inch-by-30-inch colored-pencil on matte-board entitled “Augusta The Beautiful.”

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Jayson Tatum was challenged by Michelle Obama to form a ‘voting squad’

Boston Celtics All-NBA swingman Jayson Tatum was challenged by former First Lady Michelle Obama to form his own #VotingSquad .

Boston Celtics All-NBA small forward Jayson Tatum was challenged on Twitter by former First Lady Michelle Obama to form a “voting squad” of three people to collectively “make a plan to vote, and challenge three people to do it, too.”

Tatum was part of a diverse group of famous individuals invited to do so by the former First Lady including rappers L.L. Cool J, Fat Joe and Big Sean as well as actress Issa Rae, actor Billy Porter and several other celebrities.

Of course, the recent first-time All-Star accepted.

He responded in a tweet of his own, mentioning both his parents, the Celtics, and several others; “Challenge accepted [Michelle Obama]. You already know I have my [voting squad] and we have our plan to vote!! Grab YOUR squad, make a plan and VOTE TOGETHER!”

The Boston Celtics, the NBA and now Jayson Tatum have taken an active role in promoting the importance of voting ahead of the federal elections this November.

With early voting already open in many states, such public service announcements are an important part of the push to make sure all U.S. citizens voices are heard equally at the polls.

That Tatum has joined the league and his team in that effort can only help in that effort.

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Chris Paul set to interview Michelle Obama on Instagram on Tuesday

Chris Paul is continuing to use his platform to fight for issues he believes in.

Since the Thunder’s season ended back on Sept. 2, Chris Paul has been a busy man. He appeared as a guest on ESPN’s College GameDay a few weeks back and has been busy doing his part to be an advocate against voter suppression.

On Monday, Paul publicized an incredible responsibility he was given, as he revealed that he will interview former First Lady Michelle Obama on Nike’s Instagram account on Tuesday beginning at 5:40 p.m. ET.

The appearance is the latest endeavor in which Paul has participated as he continues to use his voice to call attention to some of the political issues that have become important to the NBA and its players.

Paul, who is a co-chairperson of When We All Vote, was one of the founders of the organization along with Mrs. Obama, Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

According to the organization’s website, When We All Vote “is
a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.”

“The best thing for us is the …

“The best thing for us is the opportunity that we’re all together to collectively kind of go over things that need to change socially,” Joe Harris said. “The other day we were on a call with WNBA players with Michelle Obama talking about the importance of voting. There were 100-plus people on that call, both NBA and WNBA players. Things of that nature that really are spearheading what is going to enact real change. Collectively we’re able to do more together for sure being down here.”

The former first lady addressed NBA and …

The former first lady addressed NBA and WNBA players about the importance of voting. Paul, president of the National Basketball Players Association, said it was the first time in his career that NBA and WNBA players came together for a joint call. “The more we encourage each other to vote,” Paul said, “not just every four years, but two years in your local elections, the more we do that, the more our voices will really be heard.”

Fighting for systemic change will …

Fighting for systemic change will continue to be a focus of the NBA’s restart. Paul was asked what success will look like when the games are over. “That’s a great question,” he said. “Coming down here, what we have an opportunity to do is use our collective voices, obviously to spread the messages, but we also get a chance to educate each other. Guys come to a meeting to discuss things, and two guys who never had a relationship figure out that they have a common interest in whatever it may be, whether it’s financial literacy, whether it’s police reform, whether it’s education, whether it’s HBCUs. Guys can start to build together.”

Chris Paul talks about Michelle Obama’s conversation with NBA, WNBA players

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul spoke about Michelle Obama’s call with NBA and WNBA players about the importance of voting.

Former first lady Michelle Obama joined a call with some NBA and WNBA players on Sunday to discuss the importance of voting and using their platform to encourage others to do so.

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul talked about the conversation during a Zoom call with media Monday.

“The more we encourage each other to vote, not just every four years, but two years in your local election and things like that,” Paul said. “The more we do that, the more our voice can really be heard.”

Being in the bubble allows players more opportunities to talk to new peers about avenues to make societal differences.

“Coming down here, what we have the opportunity to do is use our collective voices, obviously to spread a message, but we also get a chance to educate each other,” Paul said.

“Guys come to a meeting to discuss things, and two guys who never had a relationship figure out that they have a common interest in whatever it may be — whether it’s finance literacy, whether it is police reform, whether it’s education, whether it’s HBCUs, guys can start to build together. That’s what we’ve been talking about. We need to unite, become a uniting force in a lot of this action that’s going on.”

That “uniting force” is starting to expand and become a joint effort between the two basketball leagues.

Paul, the president of the National Basketball Players Association, said tthis was the first time in his career the NBA and WNBA had participated in a call of this nature together.

“I think that’s very important that we’re doing this together,” he said Sunday after the scrimmage. “Not just the NBA players, not just the WNBA players, but we’re doing it together and that way we can hear each other. We can share stories and know each others’ feelings.

He said he didn’t know how many players took part in the call, but said the players who took part appreciated having Obama on it with them.

“She’s already captivating in how she carries herself as a former first lady, and our forever first lady,” Paul said. “Her presence is captivating but her words, and what she said yesterday and how inspirational she was.”

Paul told USA TODAY that the players have agreed to put $300 million toward social justice issues.

“The jerseys are part of it, but we know that we need the money and the funding to really make change,” he said Friday.

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