Barack Obama & Anthony Edwards Square Off on Basketball, Ping Pong, & Connect 4 to Settle ‘Beef’

Barack Obama and Anthony Edwards have been talking smack for the past two years, with the Wolves star usually the one bringing the laughs.

Barack Obama & Anthony Edwards Square Off on Basketball, Ping Pong, & Connect 4 to Settle ‘Beef’

Wolves star Anthony Edwards and Barack Obama (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Barack Obama and Anthony Edwards engaged in a playful competition involving basketball, ping pong, and Connect 4 to settle their 'beef.'
  • The interaction took place before the 2026 All-Star game, promoting the upcoming Obama Presidential Center opening.
  • Anthony Edwards expressed confidence in facing Obama again once the center opens, showcasing his competitive spirit.

Barack Obama is a keen basketball fan and has taken a liking to Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards ever since the two met before the Paris Olympics.

When the Former President of the United States was present at the send-off party for the USA Basketball men’s team, he engaged with a few of them at the hotel’s bar, chatting and talking about hoops.

During that interaction, he came across the young guard who proclaimed himself as ‘The Truth.’ Obama chuckled at the expression, but then had to call over reinforcements to confirm the matter.

Thankfully, for the Wolves star, his idol, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James backed him up. The former President was impressed by the Georgia Bulldogs’ swagger.

However, the two later decided it was time to settle this claim. The video plays out with Barack Obama and the 24-year-old trash-talking each other over text messages. Then, after they converged on the outdoor basketball court, that ‘beef’ continued.

Either the Harvard alum suggested that he had been shooting bank shots from before Edwards was born, or it was the latter asking Obama to be careful not to hurt himself. Later, they move on to ping pong, a sport the Wolves star has taken a keen interest in since the Paris Olympics. But in that battle, too, he found that the man 40 years his senior was no slouch.

After introducing him to Connect 4, the former President ended up outsmarting Anthony Edwards to win. At this point, it seems his ego was hurt, and he went on to dunk the basketball two-handed, just to let his ‘foe’ know he is elite.

Anthony Edwards accepts Barack Obama’s invitation

This video was shot a day or two before the 2026 All-Star game. It so happens that this was the former President’s official invitation to his Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which opens in the summer.

Anthony Edwards and Barack Obama during filming
Edwards and Obama during filming (Image via SS/Instagram)

When sharing the video, the Obama Foundation captioned it as a battle between the former president and a future NBA MVP, inviting fans to see who would win. To this, Anthony Edwards replied:

In a minute, OG.

Anthony Edwards wrote on X

It seems the four-time All-Star is not backing down from the challenge and will be ready whenever the Presidential Center is open to the public.

This ‘showdown’ is nothing but a means to promote the Presidential Center as the community’s pillar. Expect this to be held after the 2026 NBA Finals.

More current and former NBA stars are expected to attend, which means this game will likely be a rekindling moment of the basketball game Barack Obama once held at the White House.

Anthony Edwards creates his perfect player

Other than messing with the former President of the United States of America, Anthony Edwards was also present when Topps asked him to come over and sign some trading cards. During this event, they asked him to create his perfect player with these criteria.

Handles: Kyrie (Irving)
Shooting: Steph (Stephen Curry)
Defense: Jaden McDaniels
IQ: Chris Paul
Dunking: Zach LaVine

Anthony Edwards replied

While he did not have to think twice about naming his perfect options for the first three traits, he paused when it came to IQ.

Ironically, when it came to dunking, the young fans at the Topps event wanted Ant-Man to name himself. But the 6’4″ guard grinned as he avoided naming him in his perfect player composition.

Then, when a fan yelled out Zach LaVine‘s name, Edwards agreed, leading the fans to let out a collective cheer. From these situations, it is clear that the superstar sure knows how to handle himself against all ages.

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