Published 11:40 IST, October 1st 2020
LeBron James welcomes "Mr President" Barack Obama to NBA Finals virtual fan section
LeBron James was pleasantly surprised to Barack Obama join the NBA virtual fan section for Game 1 of the Finals. Obama had a message for all poll workers.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was pleasantly surprised to see former US President Barack Obama join the NBA virtual fan section for Wednesday's Game 1 of the 2020 NBA Finals. Obama joined the virtual fan section for the first quarter of the game and had a message for the poll workers who have been working diligently for the upcoming 2020 Presidential Elections.
Known to be a huge fan of the NBA, Barak Obama found himself seated between Lakers legends Shaquille O'Neal and James Worthy, in a section that also featured NBA champions like Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pau Gasol, Ray Allen, Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce.
The NBA virtual fan section also featured 40 first-time poll workers, who are a part of LeBron James' voting rights organisation, More Than a Vote.
Also Read | Barack Obama, Shaquille O'Neal, Dirk Nowitzki Join NBA Finals' Star-studded Virtual Crowd
LeBron James was quick to welcome Barack Obama to the NBA Finals after Game 1 came to a conclusion. The Lakers star identified Obama as "Mr President" as he welcomed him to the virtual section while also thanking him for his message for the poll workers.
LeBron James has been actively working with his voting rights organisation to spread awareness about the upcoming 2020 Presidential Elections. Prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the non-profit organisation announced that more than 10,000 poll workers have been recruited through some strenuous efforts from LeBron and other involved parties. The organisation celebrated the milestone by inviting 40 random poll workers to participate as virtual fans during Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.
The campaign will now move to the next phase of poll worker recruitment by focusing on cities where the number of volunteers still remain short. Some of the cities on the list are Birmingham, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston and Milwaukee.
Lakers vs Heat live score update
The Lakers were their usual dominant self on Wednesday as they ran out comfortable 116-98 winners over the Heat. LeBron James had another impressive outing, dropping 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Anthony Davis scored a game-high 34 points and added nine rebounds and five assists. For Miami, Jimmy Butler was the pick of the bunch. Butler scored 23 points and added two rebounds and five assists.
The two sides will meet for Game 2 of the 2020 NBA Finals on Friday, October 2.
(Image Credits: NBA, LeBron James Twitter)
Updated 11:40 IST, October 1st 2020