(From Broderick Turner for the Los Angeles Times Online)
He congratulates Coach Phil Jackson on the team’s NBA championship and has his staff begin making arrangements for a visit to the White House.
President Obama telephoned Lakers Coach Phil Jackson on Thursday and congratulated him and the Lakers on winning the NBA championship this season.
A White House spokesperson initially made contact earlier in the day with Lakers public relations director John Black, who made sure Jackson got on the phone to talk about the Lakers defeating the Orlando Magic and to set up a time for the team to visit the White House.
Black said he has been exchanging e-mails with the White House staff to set up a time for the Lakers to visit the White House. Black said it’ll probably happen before the season begins in the fall.
Andrew Bynum, after missing last year’s Finals that the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics, seemed excited about the possibility of meeting Obama.
“Obviously when we get the ring and we do the ceremony and we meet Barack, it’s really, really going to set in,” Bynum said about winning the NBA championship. “For me right now, it’s like living a dream, really. The parade yesterday was unbelievable.”
Bynum, 21, missed last year’s Finals after having surgery on his left knee. He made it back for this year’s Finals after missing 32 games while recovering from a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
Bynum voted for the first time last year and he cast his vote for Obama.
Obama, an avid basketball fan who plays pick-up games, selected the Lakers to beat the Magic in six games.
“I just want to meet the guy,” said Bynum, who had his exit interview with Jackson and Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak on Thursday at the team’s El Segundo training facility.
“I hear he likes to play basketball, so maybe we can all have a run like he did with the UNC [University of North Carolina] team. It’s pretty cool. And it’s just an opportunity. No hard fouls.”
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