Download the CBS Sports App today and get instant tournament news and alerts, plus play Brackets!
Former United States President Barack Obama made an annual tradition of revealing his picks for the NCAA Tournament every year on national television.
Now that he’s out of the White House, Obama is continuing his tradition of sharing his college hoops picks with the public, now through the Obama Foundation.
In 2009, Obama correctly picked North Carolina to win it all and last year picked Kansas over UNC in the final (he had UNC right, just not the winner). This year he’s riding with Roy Williams and the Tar Heels again, picking a Final Four of UNC, Kansas, Duke and Arizona.
In the spirit of good sportsmanship & good citizenship, here are @barackobama's picks for #MarchMadness 2017: https://t.co/wRuCz6LBvc pic.twitter.com/UrZkpbkZHi
— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) March 15, 2017
A few notes about President Obama’s picks
1. Picking a Duke-UNC final is predicting chaos
I don’t think Duke or North Carolina fans want to meet in the title game. They can’t take it, the emotional implications of losing that game are not worth yet another title banner. Having Duke and UNC in the final is to predict chaos across the state of North Carolina.
Obama picking Duke/UNC title game is clearly an attempt to sabotage Trump using deep state NCAA operatives to sow division and chaos. pic.twitter.com/08wNzzHcRE
— Andrew (@awbatchelor) March 15, 2017
2. All aboard the Michigan bandwagon
Michigan over Louisville, and on into the Elite Eight before losing to Kansas is a popular pick. Obama’s got that too, but swerved left with Cincinnati over Lonzo Ball and UCLA.
3. Where Obama and Mitch McConnell agree
Obama and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were political rivals but both have predicted an All-ACC title game. Obama has UNC over Duke while McConnell is picking his home state Louisville Cardinals over the Blue Devils.
Obama's bracket: UNC over Duke
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) March 15, 2017
McConnell's bracket: UofL over Duke
What brings the nation together?
An all-ACC title game#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/sDmtG9d29Y