By Elliott Teaford, Staff Writer
Updated: 01/25/2010 11:48:12 PM PST
President Barack Obama smiles as he poses with members of the Lakers on Monday in the East Room of the White House. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)
WASHINGTON - The Lakers took a field trip Monday afternoon. They met President Barack Obama and visited the White House as his guests in the East Room, smiling and laughing like giddy school children instead of NBA champions.
Obama hosted the Lakers players, coaches, staff and executives and assorted friends and family. He gave them a few chuckles and they gave him a gold-and-purple Lakers jersey with his name on the back and a signed basketball.
Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson represented the Lakers' ownership. General manager Mitch Kupchak joined them and the Lakers players and coaching staff. They all stood on risers behind the president, who spoke from behind a podium.
Gold drapes adorned the ballroom, which made it feel all the more comfortable for the Lakers. Obama seemed at ease while praising Kobe Bryant and Lakers coach Phil Jackson and bantering with Johnson.
The president also took a moment to thank Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol for their efforts in raising money for earthquake victims in Haiti. He shook hands with everyone on the stage and also greeted Bryant's daughters, Natalia and Gianna.
"I'm especially excited to meet Coach Phil Jackson, the Zen Master," Obama said during a 15-minute ceremony. "I've been a fan of Coach Jackson's ever since his days running the triangle offense in Chicago (Obama's adopted hometown).
"I want to congratulate him on his 10th NBA championship - the most in history. I do want to point out that six of them came with the Bulls." Obama then pantomimed Michael Jordan's classic layup in which he switched the ball from one hand to the other while in midair during the 1991 NBA Finals, when Jordan and the Bulls defeated Johnson and the Lakers.
"You remember that, Magic?" Obama said. Johnson laughed and said, "Yes, sir."
Later, downstairs in the Diplomatic Reception Room, a laughing Johnson told Lakers beat reporters he wanted to make a snappy retort, but thought better of trading trash-talk with "the most powerful man in the world."
"I got a kick out of that," Johnson said. "You know, what can you say when the President of the United States can trash- talk you? Normally, I have a pretty good comeback, but this time I had to let him slide.
"I had to let him slide, because he was right, Michael did do an incredible move."
Johnson said he was every bit as excited Monday as during his first visit to the White House while playing with the Lakers during the Showtime Era of the 1980s.
Many of the same feelings flooded over him as he waited to meet Obama.
"I was sweating just like I was sweating back then," Johnson said. "You were sweating to meet him. Sweating to shake his hand. Sweating because this is a great moment. I knew how special this moment was for all these guys. "It's a great day for them as young men. It's a great day for the organization. We'll see if we can get back here again. I don't think we'll ever have a president with as much basketball knowledge, with as much basketball skills and yet still run the world."
Obama praised Bryant, quoted Lamar Odom and wished Chicago native Shannon Brown well in the dunk contest during the NBA's All-Star Weekend next month.
Obama also lamented the fact that he was no longer an effective player now that he's nearly 49.
Before the ceremony began, Bryant said Obama spoke with the players "about sports, about Shannon winning the dunk contest. We talked about the Bulls. We talked about the Lakers. We talked about my (broken) finger. We talked about doing it again. He kind of came up to everybody individually and shook hands."
During the ceremony, Obama quoted Odom from the NBA Finals last June, recalling the versatile sixth man's words of unity while the Lakers chased the championship that eluded them when they lost to the Boston Celtics in 2008.
"We all kind of always saw that light," Obama recalled Odom saying after the Lakers dispatched the Orlando Magic in five games last June.
Obama also praised Bryant for playing at such a high level despite suffering a fractured right index finger last month.
"Of course, I have to recognize Kobe Bryant, one of the most competitive players I have ever seen," Obama said. "If I had a broken finger, I would have trouble getting out of bed in the morning."
Asked if his teammates appreciated the significance of the visit, Bryant nodded.
"Lamar is very emotional," Bryant said. "He actually went to see Obama speak at the Democratic Convention in Denver (in 2008). He was very emotional about that, so I know everybody understands the significance of it. It's great to see him."
President Barack Obama with Lakers guard Derek Fisher, left, and guard Kobe Bryant, center, on Monday. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)
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