Obama Welcomes Miami Heat to the White House

President Obama welcomed the Miami Heat to the White House on Monday afternoon to honor the team for kicking everyone's ass in the 2012 NBA Finals. Obama cited a pickup game some of the members of the Heat participated in with the president on his birthday as the real reason...

By Chris Joseph

January 28, 2013

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President Obama welcomed the Miami Heat to the White House on Monday afternoon to honor the team for kicking everyone's ass in the 2012 NBA Finals.

Obama cited a pickup game some of the members of the Heat participated in with the president on his birthday as the real reason the Heat were able to go all the way last season.

"Now, I'm not trying to take all the credit, Coach," Obama said to Erik Spoelstra, "but I think that it's clear that going up against me prepared them to take on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. It sharpened their skills. It gave them the competitive edge that they needed. And I think part of the reason they came back today is they want another shot at the old guy."

The ceremony had everything you'd expect from the Heat: laughter, fun, guys screwing with Mario Chalmers, the president reminding everyone that Mike Miller played half-dead, and a Chris Bosh photobomb.

Obama also told LeBron that it's his world. Because, of course it is.

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