Cleveland Cavaliers star forward LeBron James expressed his excitement that President Barack Obama might be in the audience during the upcoming season opener between with the Chicago Bulls in Chicago on Tuesday night.
“He loves the game of basketball,” James said on Tuesday morning. “We all know that. It’s an honor for me to be a part of a venue and a spectacle that the president would like to come and watch. It’s an honor for sure.”
According to the President’s public schedule, he will be in Chicago on Tuesday to address the International Association of Chiefs of Police annual conference where he is expected to push tougher gun control policies.
Obama’s attendance at the game has not been confirmed but the Secret Service have already been seen at the United Center arena.
Cavs coach David Blatt also noted that he is excited to play before the President.
“That’s pretty exciting,” Blatt said. “You know, I’ve been in front of some presidents in other parts of the world, actually.”
For his part, Cavs power forward Kevin Love noted that he thinks playing before the president is “cool.”
“Tonight it’ll be cool to see the president there,” Love told the media. “I don’t know who he’ll be with, but you can tell he’s going to be in the building by all the suits running around.”
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg also said it would be “cool” if Obama was in the stands.
“That’ll be cool,” he told the Chicago Tribune. “It’ll be great for our guys to see the president in the building.”
Hoiberg also confirmed that the often-injured Derrick Rose will be starting in tonight’s game despite his recent facial injury sustained in training camp.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com
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