Obama Welcomes Heat To The White House
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Heat finally made its way to the White House Monday to be honored by President Barack Obama for winning the 2012 NBA Championship.
President Obama honored the champs and also had some fun at their expense. "This is a lot of cameras in one place, it's a little overwhelming…For the Heat, this is what practice looks like," President Obama said.
Obama also took time to remind some of the players that they were at the White House a few years ago for a pick-up game that featured the president.
"Now, I'm not trying to take all the credit," Obama said, "but I think that it's clear that going up against me prepared them to take on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook."
The Heat beat Durant, Westbrook, and the rest of the Oklahoma City Thunder last June in just five games to win the NBA Championship. It was the first title for Heat superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh as well as the second for Dwyane Wade.
"I think part of the reason they came back is because they wanted another shot at the old guy," Obama said while laughing.
President Obama paid special attention to not only the Heat's exploits on the court, but also everything the team and the players do for the community both in South Florida and around the country.
"There's a lot of focus on what happens on the court, but it's also important what happens off the court," the President said. "One of the things I'm proudest of is that they (LeBron, Wade, and Bosh) take their roles as fathers seriously."
The Heat's enthusiasm for their championship and White House visit was best summed up when LeBron was thanking the president.
"Mom, I made it," LeBron said while smiling.
