March 18, 2026
Obama taps Edwards for a sports-driven video promoting his new Presidential Center in Chicago.
President Barack Obama has enlisted NBA All-Star Anthony Edwards for a sports-driven promotional video ahead of the opening of his Presidential Center in Chicago.
The Minnesota Timberwolves guard leaned into their easygoing rapport in a new video promoting the June 19 opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago’s Jackson Park. Obama—recalling a 2024 meeting where Edwards declared himself “the truth” on the court—challenges the Atlanta native to a series of competitions, including a shooting contest, ping pong, and Connect 4, to determine who really lives up to the title.
The pair wrap up their friendly showdown by dipping their feet in the pool and vowing a rematch, one that Obama already has a location in mind for.
“The next one is going to be on my home court at the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago,” Obama said.
The lighthearted clip builds on Anthony Edwards’ viral moment with Barack Obama during the 2024 Paris Olympics, featured in Netflix’s “Court of Gold.” When Obama stopped by USA Basketball’s 50th anniversary event in July 2024, he asked Joel Embiid what he thought of Edwards.
“He can hoop a little bit, huh?” Obama said, prompting Embiid to reply, “Just a little bit.”
Standing nearby, Edwards didn’t hesitate to respond with his signature confidence.
“Man, y’all better stand down. I’m the truth…” he said. “These boys know.”
As the center’s launch date approaches, reports are swirling about who will be invited, with a press release revealing that “legendary performances by global icons and powerful remarks from today’s most prominent voices” are expected. While former Presidents are expected to attend, it’s been confirmed that President Donald Trump is not invited to the grand opening, but former President George W. Bush will be.
“When visitors look up at the Obama Presidential Center’s Museum building, they’ll see three words: ‘You are America.’ Those words come from a speech I gave in Selma on the 50th anniversary of the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge,” Obama wrote on Instagram. “They’re meant to honor the men and women who came before us, and to inspire the next generation to be messengers of hope.”
The center will feature a museum, a new library branch, and additional amenities across its expansive campus. Obama has previously said he chose to build the center—rather than a traditional presidential library—to help revitalize the Jackson Park neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, where his wife grew up and where he launched his political career after being elected state senator in 1996.
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