Obama's Best Sports Trash Talking Moments

Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Connor McGregor. These are just a few of the greatest trash talkers we’ve seen in the world of sports. But there’s one man who’s consistently been a part of some of the funniest, most savage trash talking moments for the last eight years…and he's not a star athlete.

President Barack Obama has low-key mastered the art of laying the verbal smackdown on some of the most famous and accomplished athletes in the world with perfect burns. Most notably, 44 has used the traditional post-championship victory team visits to the White House as his primary platform for doing so.

Obama’s exemplary oratory skills are one of the reasons he was a truly effective trash talker. And it doesn't hurt that as the president, he commands the utmost respect from everyone in the room and is practically immune from any retorts. Just ask MJ and Steph Curry.

So before he officially departs office on Friday, here are President Obama’s best sports trash talking moments, directed at the world’s top athletes.

Barack Obama and Michael Jordan are legends: one in the Oval Office (and on the mic), the other on the basketball court. But both are also known for their shrewd, no-punches-pulled trash talking. On a day celebrating his Airness, awarding him a Presidential Medal of Freedom, Obama couldn’t help but take a shot at the GOAT’s acting skills with Tom Hanks and Robert De Niro also in the building. “We’ve got… renowned character actors, like the guy from Space Jam,” Obama joked. POTUS also said Jordan is “more than just an internet meme,” referring to the Crying Jordan memes that continue to rule social media. A more than amused MJ took the jabs in stride, as would be expected from the king of basketball trash talking. Game recognizes game.

If you won a championship in your respective sport during Obama’s presidency, you had the unique opportunity to visit the White House. Of course, that also meant you’d likely find yourself on the wrong end of the POTUS one-liner. The 2015 Golden State Warriors—specifically, reigning league MVP Steph Curry—discovered this when the team visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after their NBA Finals victory. Obama discussed Curry’s greatness, touching on his historic shooting numbers, but he also let everyone know that Klay Thompson, and not Curry, has the smoother shooting stroke: “[Klay’s] jumpshot is a little prettier. I mean, I’m just saying,” said Obama. The Warriors, including Curry, were in hysterics. Oh, and he also reminded the world that he defeated Curry at golf that past summer. Two roasts for the price of one.

Obama’s smooth lefty jumpshot was on display when he faced off against CBS college basketball commentator Clark Kellogg in a game of POTUS (the White House version of HORSE). Kellogg, a former NBA player who averaged 20.1 points and 10.6 rebounds during his rookie season with the Indiana Pacers, jumped out to an early lead. But Obama, always cool and confident under pressure, stormed back. With the game tied at P-O-T-U, Obama had a chance to put Kellogg away—which is exactly what he did. He shot a 3-pointer from the left wing, and before it swished through the hoop, yelled “Whap!” It was epic, perhaps something he learned from Curry, who always seems to know his shot is going in before everyone else does. Oh, and Obama electing to use the word “whap” is pretty freakin’ awesome.

No one was safe when LeBron, Kyrie, and the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers visited the White House in 2016. Obama slowly and methodically roasted pretty much all members of the Cavs like they were a London broil. He shouted out JR Smith’s shirt for making an appearance, as well as the unpredictable guards horrible shot selection. Then, he called Richard Jefferson and Dantay Jones old to their faces, saying they give inspiration to aging folks everywhere. He also took a shot at the greatest basketball player in the world, LBJ, for ripping the sleeves on his uniform because they’re uncomfortable. He even threw a few barbs at the Warriors, thanking the Cavs for preserving the 1996 Chicago Bulls as the best team in NBA history by defeating the Dubs.

Obama isn’t scared to go toe-to-toe with some of the best trash talkers in sports, which he proved in 2010 when he mixed it up with Kobe Bryant. A few days following a Bulls victory over the defending champion Lakers in Chicago—led by rising star and eventual 2010-11 league MVP Derrick Rose—the president suggested to Kobe (at a Boys and Girls Club event in Washington, D.C.) that Rose “may have [his] number.” Not the sharpest of barbs, but still pointed enough to elicit the most Kobe response ever: “If he calls that number, I’ll be sure to pick up after the fifth ring,” referring to Mamba’s five NBA championships compared to Rose’s zero. Advantage Kobe.

Obama was clearly in his element whenever he welcomed championship teams to the White House. During the 2010 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers’ visit, Obama—being the huge Chicago Bulls fan that he is—reminded everyone that Phil Jackson won six of his 10 titles with Chicago. He then spoke directly to Magic, who stood with the rest of Lakers, saying, “You remember that, Magic.” He proceeded to rib Magic about the play in the Game 2 of the 1991 NBA Finals when Michael Jordan soared through the air and switched hands to complete one of the most iconic layups in NBA history. But Obama didn’t just explain Mike's move, he acted it out as well, adding some extra sauce to the insult, and drawing plenty of laughs from the Lakers and White House audience in the process.

After the Broncos Super Bowl 50 victory, Obama showered praise on SB MVP Von Miller. But as we’ve learned, Obama admiration is typically followed by a few digs. The POTUS said that Miller’s 5 sacks, 2 fumbles, and 1 interception during the AFC Championship and Super Bowl weren't “bad for a guy who prides himself on his collection of eyeglasses.” He wasn’t done. Obama put the Broncos middling offense (and, in effect, Payton Manning’s decline) on blast, by calling kicker Brandon McManus, “the heart and soul of this team’s offensive firepower.” Well, it’s not like he was wrong.

Deflategate taught us how petty the NFL and Roger Goodell can be. If you thought President Obama was above being petty, this is what he had to say to the Patriots (with Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick flanking him): “I usually tell a bunch of jokes at these events, but with the Patriots in town, I was worried that 11 out of 12 of them would fall flat.” Recall the NFL determining that 11 of the 12 footballs were found to be under-inflated by the Pats during the 2015 AFC Championship game against the Colts which birthed the whole Deflategate controversy.

A few months after the USWNT victory World Cup victory, when the squad visited the White House, Lloyd became a talking point in Obama’s barbs. But these disses weren't directed at the soccer superstar. Apparently, someone had changed Carli Lloyd’s title on her Wikipedia page from “Midfielder” to “President of the United States,” thanks to her outstanding World Cup play. With a devious and utterly exuberant grin on his face, Obama asserted, “I guarantee you Carli knows more about being president than some of the folks who are running.”

Paul Pierce is an underrated, underappreciated trash talker (see: Game 5 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals when he apparently told LeBron, “I have the balls to take that shot” after draining a dagger three in his face). That’s why, when a video surfaced of Obama sticking it to Pierce during a “friendly” NBA Cares competition in D.C., it immediately went viral. After nailing what appeared to be the game-winning shot, Obama high-fived a bunch of kids, turned to Pierce, and can be heard saying, “That’s three in a row! Whatchu gon’ do now?” Cold. Blooded. Assassin.

When it comes to basketball in particular, President Obama is a very competitive dude. That’s why, when Coach K personally invited the prez to attend his 35-and-older fantasy basketball camp during Duke’s visit to the White House (after capturing the 2015 National Championship), the leader of the free world confidently stated, “I’ll dominate.” Everyone laughed, but Obama, wanting to let everyone know he wasn’t joking, followed up by shrugging and adding, “Well, it’s true.” That’s the competitive drive of a Michael or Kobe right there.

The final few minutes of the 2016 National Championship game between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels was a roller coaster. After Marcus Paige hit a ridiculous double-pump 3-pointer to tie things up with 4.7 seconds remaining, Kris “Big Smoove” Jenkins nailed the clutch-est, most cold-blooded treys in NCAA Tournament history as time expired to make Nova national champions. During the team’s visit to the White House a few months later, Obama noted that the climactic game winner was so exciting and dramatic that it made Charles Barkley “jump out of his seat, which he doesn’t do very often these days.” Was Obama calling the Chuckster fat? Maybe. But one thing is for sure: He certainly wasn’t commenting on Barkley’s sprightliness.

There are a lot of similarities between Barack Obama and Michael Jordan: they have ties to Chicago, are passionate about basketball, love golf, and are great at what they’re known for. They also have tremendous competitive spirits. In a pretty heated war of words, MJ called out Obama’s golf game, telling Ahmad Rashad in an interview, “I’d take him out. He’s a hack and I’d be playing all day with him…I never said he wasn’t a great politician. I’m just saying he’s a shitty golfer.” Shots fired by the GOAT. But Obama wasn’t going to go down without a fight. In one of the most epic clapbacks ever, Obama said, “There is no doubt that Michael is a better golfer. Of course, if I was playing twice a day for the last 15 years, then that might not be the case. He might want to spend more time thinking about the Bobcats or maybe the Hornets.” Translation: You’re not good at your job. That, my friends, is a roast.

How do you defeat Barack Obama at his own trash talking game? Ask Michelle. A few months ago, Steph Curry and Michelle Obama appeared on Ellen, during which Curry revealed the amount of trash talking Obama dished out while playing golf together. According to Steph, “I’ll hit a [drive] out of bounds, and he’ll say, ‘Yeah, that’s not a good shot. I’m gonna need you to do better next time.’” In a verbal jousting blunder, the two-time NBA MVP admitted to Ellen that the president’s talk got under his skin.

In response, Michelle Obama—apparently a deft trash talker in her own right—offered Curry free, nationally televised advice on how to clap back at her husband: “You should talk about his ears. Here’s one: As you’re putting, you wanna say, ‘The shadow from your ears is messing up my putt.’” And that’s coming from Barack’s own wife! Clearly, the FLOTUS and POTUS are cut from the same cloth.