No matter what you think of Barack Obama’s political philosophies, he is a powerful man. So powerful, writes Shaquille O’Neal in his new book, that a single Obama diss talked Rajon Rondo off his game last season. (SB Nation)

In early March some of the guys went to the museum of Fine Arts for a fund-raiser and got to hang with President Barack Obama. Everyone was a little bit in awe. The President turns to Ray, points at Rondo, and says, “Hey, Ray, why don’t you teach this kid how to shoot?” Everyone starts laughing.

KG told me he saw the look on Rondo’s face and the kid was devastated, embarrassed. Dissed by the President, even though I’m sure Obama didn’t mean any harm. Rondo smiled and went along with all of it, but KG told me he could see it in his eyes.

[...]

The next day Rondo shot the ball horribly. He stopped taking shots after that. He’s so sensitive. I think it was a real jolt to hear the outside perception of a basketball fan who happens to be the President of the United States. It messed with his mind. I’m sure of it.

It should be “a real jolt” for Rondo to hear that people think he has a suspect jumper in the same way it was “a real jolt” for me to hear that Brian Scalabrine has never won the NBA MVP. Obama’s opinion wasn’t exactly shocking.

It’s difficult to believe Rondo, who returned from a Willis McGahee elbow in eight minutes, would allow Obama far enough into his head that he lost confidence in his shooting (assuming, you know, Rondo ever had any confidence in the first place). Rondo hears about his bad shooting every day. Reporters ask him questions about his shooting all the time, I’m sure Doc Rivers mentions it quite often, and I bet Rondo’s teammates give him crap about it too.

Maybe it’s different to hear it from the President. Maybe Shaq’s right. Or maybe Shaq’s stretching the truth in hopes of selling more copies of his new book.

Forget the Venice Beach Courts, forget Rucker Park, forget The Cage. The best pick up basketball on Sunday was at Fort McNair in Washington, where President Obama hosted the dream pick up basketball game for a group of wounded soldiers and members of the White House’s mentoring program. NBA stars such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony took the court along with Celtics and NBA legend Bill Russell. (Washington Post) Read more »

(I swear to God, even watching this kind of made me sad.)

The most powerful man in the world (no, I’m not talking about Shaq) tried calling Doc Rivers to offer his condolences after The Game That Must Not Be Named. Except Doc wouldn’t pick up. He thought it was his friend and didn’t want to hear a single thing about that God-forsaken game. (Orlando Sentinel)

Doc Rivers was bumming. Barack Obama was calling.

His Boston Celtics had just lost Game 7 of the NBA Finals (editor’s note: The Game That Must Not Be Named). It was the morning after, and the team was ready to board a private get to go back home. His cell phone kept buzzing. It was a 202 area code. Washington, D.C.

Doc assumed that it was Stan Kasten, an executive with the Atlanta Hawks during Doc’s playing days there. Kasten is now president of the Washington Nationals baseball team.

The phone buzzed again. Same number. Doc turned it off and settled in for the long ride.

Back in Boston, the phone buzzed again. It was a programmed number _ Kasten. May as well pick it up and hear the attaboy condolences from his friend.

“Doc, hold on, I have a friend who wants to say hello.” He gave the phone to the guy next to him.

“Doc this is President Obama. I guess I can’t get you to pick up the phone,” he said.

Oops.

President Obama just wanted to give Doc a congratulatory attaboy, too. Normally the Prez just calls the winner, but he was thoroughly impressed with Boston’s deep run in the playoffs that included upsets of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic.

When Barack calls next year to offer his congratulatory attaboy, I hope Doc has one holy beast of a headache. Champagne, when consumed in victorious amounts, can be one hell of a drug.