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Duke Basketball Team Visits White House for 2nd Time in Barack Obama's Presidency

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For the second time in his Presidency, Barack Obama welcomed Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke University men's basketball team to the White House.

Krzyzewski won his fifth NCAA Tournament National Championship title - all with the Blue Devils - last April.

"We thought about inviting the Cameron Crazies here, but I didn't want any blue paint smudging my walls," NCAA.com quoted Obama saying to open his address. "We weren't sure if the risers could take it if they were jumping up and down."

CLICK HERE for a video of the visit and here for additional photos from the Blue Devil Network and men's basketball team.

The President then welcomed Duke University's officials who made the trip to Washington, which included its president, Richard Brodhead, the school's athletic director, Kevin White, and then Krzyzewski, who Obama jokingly called an "up-and-coming coach."

An avid sports fan, basketball in particular, Obama has become known for ribbing the teams that visit. This time, he drew various comparisons between himself and the Duke men's basketball program.

"[I did] well in the classroom, won twice in the last four years," he said as he paused for effect. "I know what it's like for people to oppose you no matter what you try to do. And when I flip on ESPN and I see a documentary about how people still hate Christian Laettner, a guy who played for Duke 23 years ago, I realize maybe I don't have it so bad."

Obama went on to praise Krzyzewski's program and players, who he said "represent their university well on and off the court." The President was also keen to point out that the team's standout center, Jahlil Okafor, hailed from his hometown of Chicago.

When Krzyzewski took the podium, he made sure to extend an invite for the President to come to Durham after he leaves the White House.

"We've been to your house twice and you've never been to our house," Krzyzewski said. "We have to correct that in about a little over a year."

(Source: NCAA.com)

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