Jordan or LeBron? Obama takes sides

President Obama said former NBA star Michael Jordan will always be his guy — but added LeBron James has a chance to be as good as anyone.

Obama sat down for an interview with Charles Barkley on Thursday ahead of the NBA All-Star Game this weekend. Obama said Jordan’s time with the Chicago Bulls was a “magical” moment for the city, in a short clip before the interview airs Sunday.

Jordan led the team to six NBA championships.

“Now, I’m a Chicago guy, and Mike will always be the guy, for me, just because that was a magical moment for the city,” Obama said. “And he was a champion. Mike is now retired. LeBron [James], when you look at him, you think he might be able to play at a high level for another seven, eight, 10 years. He’s 29 years old. In terms of every aspect of the game, LeBron has a chance to be as good as anybody.”

During the interview, Obama said he had never seen a person other than James with his amount of athletic ability.

Obama invited James’s team, the Miami Heat, to the White House earlier this year after the team’s championship win.

“You know LeBron. I know LeBron. When you are standing next to him, and then you watch him close up, I’ve never seen somebody that size, that fast, who can jump that high, who is that strong, who has that much basketball savvy all in one package,” Obama said of the NBA Finals’ MVP.

Obama also talked about the healthcare law and a recently announced program aimed at keeping young minority men in school.

In a separate clip, the president plugged the all-star game and the television network TNT.

“It is going to be a great weekend. And I’ll be watching, on TNT,” Obama says.

We know what the POTUS is doing this #NBAAllStar weekend. Will you be watching too? – http://t.co/fQdfNwxeJh

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 14, 2014