Why it matters that Barack Obama can play ball
Sports Illustrated writer Alexander Wolff says basketball has been central to the U.S. president's personal, professional and even romantic life.
Just a game? No. Basketball was formative for U.S. President Barack Obama. And keen observers can see a link between the sport and, say, healthcare reform.
If these statements seem hyperbolic, check in with Sports Illustrated writer Alexander Wolff. His new book The Audacity of Hoop: Basketball and the Age of Obama draws connections between the courts and the White House, and argues that Obama is the first president to successfully use basketball to his political advantage.
The author, who's in Toronto for this weekend's NBA All-star game, joins Shad flesh out his argument and explain why he sees basketball as central to Obama's personal, professional and even romantic life.
