Feb 17, 2019 - Sports

Barack Obama wants to help the NBA launch a new African league

Barack Obama plays basketball at the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2016. Photo: Olivier Douliery, Pool/Getty Images

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said former President Barack Obama has told him he wants to "be directly involved" in plans for a new 12-team pro league in Africa that will be a collaboration between the NBA and basketball's global governing body FIBA, AP's Tim Reynolds writes.

Details: Silver said talks with Obama are ongoing. Obama spoke on a video that was shown during the event where Silver announced the league: "[E]ven if you are the best player, your job is not just to show off but your job is to make your teammates better."

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