Sasha Obama’s basketball days came with a very special coach

Sasha Obama is a young woman in her 20s, living in Los Angeles. Years ago, she spent a significant percentage of her time at the White House, growing up and going to school while her father served as President of the United States. Michelle Obama recently revealed one of her family’s most fun stories: how Sasha Obama and her basketball team ended up winning their championship. 

In an appearance on an episode of “The School of Greatness,” hosted by Lewis Howes, Michelle discussed Sasha’s basketball days in fourth grade, when she played for a team called The Vipers. 

“One of the best stories about my husband is that he became a coach during his White House years,” she said, prompting a surprised gasp from Howes. “He coached Sasha’s fourth-grade basketball league, The Vipers.” 

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Michelle revealed that Barack didn’t start as the league’s coach; he simply worked his way there by being present and incredibly invested in The Vipers’ performance. “We signed up for rec basketball and it’s at some local YMCA in Chevy Chase, and of course we’re going to the games because… It’s basketball,” she says, leaning forward and pitching her voice lower, demonstrating just how seriously Obama takes the sport.

“And that’s my baby, and he’s got one that maybe will do it,” she continued. 

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The games were packed with security detail

Michelle shared that the games made for an interesting experience since it became a White House affair. Then Vice President Joe Biden also had his granddaughter, Maisy Biden, on the team. “Can you imagine that league on any given Sunday? Because we all went. President, Vice President, etc,” said Michelle, sharing that there were around eight security detail teams in all of these games. 

She revealed that the coaches were originally parents who didn’t have any basketball training. By game two, “Barack would just start sliding down to the coach’s bench and just say: ‘Have her block that one and get them to tie their shoes.’ He was sort of side coaching.”

Michelle revealed that Obama began coaching the parents and ultimately ended up coaching The Vipers themselves, who won that year’s championship.