WNBA All-Stars get epic Barack Obama surprise at Chicago practice

Chicago, Illinois is playing host to the WNBA All-Star Game this weekend, and as the players kicked off the festivities with a practice sessions on Friday morning at the newly built Barack Obama Presidential Center, the president himself visited the facility and surprised the players with an impromptu meet and greet, as per Alexa Philippou of ESPN.

Barack Obama addressed the group as a whole, and then broke off and met with pretty much every player individually.

The WNBA All-Star Game is not until Saturday, but Friday kicks off the event with the 3-Point Contest and the return of the Shooting Stars competition. Among the players selected to compete in the 3-Point Contest are Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey, Portland Fire guard Bridget Carleton, Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd, Seattle Storm guard Natisha Hiedeman, Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün and Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard.

The Shooting Stars competition is making its return to WNBA All-Star weekend, replacing the Skills Competition. In the event, four teams of three players each, one former WNBA, one current WNBA player and one high school player from the Nike EYBL, will compete in a contest to see which team can make more shots from various locations on the court.

The four teams are as follows: Team Minnesota with Courtney Williams and Rebekkah Brunson, Team Washington with Shakira Austin and Elena Delle Donne, Team Seattle with Lauren Jackson and Flau’jae Johnson and Team Dallas/Detroit with Jessica Shepard and Deanna ‘Tweety’ Nolan.

The All-Star Game itself will be played between two teams divided up by former WNBA stars Teresa Weatherspoon and Cynthia Cooper, and coached by Becky Hammon and Cheryl Reeve.