Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar & More Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

The sports world was well-represented at the White House on Tuesday, as President Barack Obama presented Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Vin Scully with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In his final Medal of Freedom ceremony as president, Obama highlighted the accomplishments and importance of each recipient, while also discussing the personal impact Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar and Scully had on him personally.

The trio was part of a group of 21 honorees comprised of American icons from varying fields.

MJ is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, and Obama made it clear that he earned the right to be the measuring stick against which greatness is compared in all fields, according to Josh Elliott of CBSN:

Pres. Obama: “There’s a reason you call someone ‘the Michael Jordan of…’.”

— Josh Elliott (@JoshElliott32) November 22, 2016

As seen in the following video, courtesy of NBA TV, the president used his wit and well-spoken nature to praise the Chicago Bulls legend:

.@POTUS recognizes Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Michael Jordan at the @WhiteHouse. https://t.co/Halzz5hUSZ

— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 22, 2016

While Jordan’s meaning to the sport of basketball can’t be understated, Obama referenced his pop culture importance in other areas, such as being the star of Space Jam, per NBC News:

Obama jokes at Medal of Freedom ceremony: “We’ve got … renowned character actors, like the guy from ‘Space Jam.’” https://t.co/LDTmxG7qaQ

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 22, 2016

The president even made mention of the crying Jordan meme, which has become an internet favorite in recent years, as David Mack of BuzzFeed relayed:

Obama on Michael Jordan: “He’s more than just a meme”

— David Mack (@davidmackau) …

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