Luka Doncic meets President Obama

All-Star Weekend brings together a lot of people who might not otherwise be in the same room. The NBA, its players, and fans revel in the spotlight of the host city, which rolls out the red carpet for the event. This year, it’s taking place in Chicago and the celebrities are already out in force.

Luka Doncic is making his second appearance at the mid-season event, this time as an All-Star starter. Friday afternoon, as he was at a charity event prior to the Rising Stars Challenge, Doncic had the encounter of a lifetime.

As he was sitting at a table with former Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd, former President Barack Obama walked over to greet him. The two clasped hands emphatically, with the President pulling in Doncic for an embrace. The Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend captured the moment:

Fans of basketball know that Obama is a big hoops guy. His former Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, was a staple in the Celebrity Game. With all the league’s stars in one place, his city, it’s no wonder that he’s out greeting players.

As always, the former President isn’t going to let the occasion pass without cracking a joke, this time at the expense of Kidd. As Townsend notes, Obama tells Doncic not to listen to Kidd when it comes to shooting. But maybe he should.

Kidd shot 42.5 percent on three-pointers when he was on the Mavericks for their title run in 2011. It helped to earn the team a trip to the White House to visit with President Obama (good times). Currently piddling away at 32.3 percent from deep, Doncic could learn a thing or two about shooting from Kidd, with all due respect, Mr. President.

The NBA All-Star Game and its surrounding events are replete with celebrity encounters for players and fans. If this is how the weekend starts for Doncic, who knows what else may be in store for him.