By Nicholas Johnston
May 26 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama is picking the Los Angeles Lakers to win the National Basketball Association championship thanks to the league’s “fiercest competitor” and “best coach.”
In an interview with sportscaster Marv Albert, Obama picked the Lakers over the Boston Celtics, though neither team has yet won its conference championship to make it to the finals.
The Lakers and the Phoenix Suns are tied at two games apiece in the best-of-seven Western Conference series, while Boston leads the Orlando Magic 3-1 for the Eastern Conference title.
Even so, Obama said the Celtics, who have “jelled in the playoffs,” can’t beat the Lakers, the defending NBA champions led by Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and coach Phil Jackson.
“I’ve got to go with the Lakers again,” Obama said in the interview that will begin airing on NBA TV today. “Boston’s a veteran club, but the Lakers are looking pretty good.”
Obama called Bryant the “the fiercest competitor in the league” and Jackson “the best coach in the NBA right now.” Of Gasol, Obama said “he may be the best big man in the league.”
Obama had some praise for the Celtics, calling Rajon Rondo “one of the best point guards.”
“When he gets a real jump shot, he’s going to be unstoppable,” said Obama, himself an avid basketball player.
In earlier excerpts of the interview broadcast on the TNT television network, Obama said LeBron James needs to find a coach he “respects” and suggested the Cleveland Cavaliers star may be a good fit on Obama’s hometown Chicago Bulls.
He also praised a protest by the Suns of an Arizona immigration law, in which the team wore jerseys that read “Los Suns” during a playoff game. Obama said the step was a “terrific” statement on behalf of the team’s fans.
--Editors: Bob Drummond, Paul Tighe