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Watch: Barack Obama has jokes about the Knicks

ByJeffrey Bellone|
"A Promised Land" by Barack Obama on display at Union Avenue Book Store in downtown Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The $45 book is available for purchase, but a visit to the store must be scheduled ahead of time due to the pandemic.Kns Obama Book RANK2
"A Promised Land" by Barack Obama on display at Union Avenue Book Store in downtown Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The $45 book is available for purchase, but a visit to the store must be scheduled ahead of time due to the pandemic.Kns Obama Book RANK2

Even the former president has some fun at the expense of the New York Knicks.

New York Knicks fans are used to being the punchline of jokes from opposing fans, players, and NBA media personalities. But from the former president of the United States?

Yes, even Barack Obama has jokes about the Knicks.

Appearing on an upcoming episode of Desus & Mero, the 44th president made sure to reference the Knicks in joking with the two co-hosts, who are Knicks fans, about their basketball skills.

"“Let me just say that I saw some of the footage of y’all [playing basketball] with [Senator Cory] Booker,” Obama said on the preview clip released by Showtime. “I’m just saying, here’s the good news: Looks like y’all could play for the Knicks.”"

Obama’s brother-in-law Craig Robinson was actually a member of the Knicks’ front office until he recently took on a new role as Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Robinson had served as the vice president of player development and G League operations in New York since 2017, working alongside his former Princeton teammate Steve Mills.

The Knicks fired Mills as team president last February, replacing him with current president Leon Rose. Robinson accepted his new position with NABC this past summer.

After an extended offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Knicks are finally getting back to work in preparation of the 2020-21 season. Despite creating over $40 million in cap space, the team decided against signing any long-term free agents , instead opting to remain flexible by inking several short-term deals.

Oddsmakers peg the Knicks as a 22-win team over a shortened 72-game season. The NBA released the first half of their schedule this past weekend. New York is set to open the season in Indiana on December 23 and return to Madison Square Garden against the 76ers on December 26 for their first home game since last March, albeit without any fans expected to be in attendance.

New York bolstered their lineup with two first round selections, securing Dayton’s Obi Toppin with the 8th overall pick and Kentucky guard Immanuel Quickley with the 25th pick after a series of trades.

Obama is touring amid the pandemic to promote his new book, A Promised Land. His full interview with Desus & Mero is scheduled to air on Sunday.

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