President Obama welcomed LeBron James and the reigning NBA champs to the White House on Monday to celebrate their 2012 title.
In the long-running White House tradition, Obama has honored professional and college champs with White House ceremonies. But the president's bond with James and some of the other Heat players goes back a few years.
James and teammates Dwyane Wade and Shane Battier were among the NBA stars who came to play with Obama in Washington to mark the president's 49th birthday in 2010. The president, tongue-firmly-in-cheek, suggested that he might have helped them get over the hump and win a title.
"I'm not trying to take all the credit, coach, but I think that it's clear going up against me prepared them," joked Obama, who roots for his hometown Chicago Bulls.
Obama's admiration for James goes back to at least the NBA star's rookie year.
"I'm LeBron, baby. I can play on this level. I got game," Obama told biographer David Mendell in 2004, after his well-received keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.
At the time, James had just completed an impressive rookie season with his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Obama was emerging as the next great hope for his party.
It took Obama four more years to climb to the top and make it to the White House. James needed eight years and had to take his talents to South Beach to win his first championship.
James is also a big Obama fan.
James donated $20,000 to the Democratic National Committee and the White House Victory Fund in 2008 that benefited Obama.
Other Heat players have also been generous supporters of the president:
Battier has given $5,300 to Obama's Senate and presidential campaigns, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Rashard Lewis donated $10,000 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008, a joint fund-raising committee that supported both the president's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
Former Heat star and current front office executive Alonzo Mourning has given nearly $130,000 to Democratic campaigns over the years, including a total of $10,000 in the last election cycle to the Obama campaign and the Obama Victory Fund.
After coach Erik Spoelstra offered brief comments thanking Obama, James asked the president if he minded if he spoke.
"You can if you want," Obama said. "It's your world, man."
James appeared to relish the moment.
"We're in the White House right now," James said with a measure of astonishment. "Hey, mama, I made it!"
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