Former United States president Barack Obama is reportedly involved in talks over a deal to buy the Phoenix Suns from disgraced owner Robert Sarver.
Obama, a huge NBA basketball fan, has been seen at a number of games over the years and now could take charge of one of the storied franchises with the Suns being available.
The rumour was reported by Ringer CEO Bill Simmons on a podcast with NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who played for the Suns for four years and is in the team's Ring of Honour.
Simmons said: "The days of somebody being able to put in a little bit of money and run the team, those days are over. That was a moment.
"The one guy who might pull it off, and I'm probably breaking some news here, but I heard Obama is involved in one of the groups and that's the one guy I feel like they would make him the actual face and the money guys would be so happy to have him at the front."
Obama, who has a reported net worth of around $70 million, would certainly have to be involved in a consortium if the rumour is to be true, with the 44th President of the United States at the forefront.
The Suns are for sale after Sarver was suspended for a year by the NBA in September and was fined around £8.7m after the league investigated allegations of racism and misogyny against him.
The investigation found evidence of 'racially insensitive language, unequal treatment of female employees and sex-related statements and conduct', however, they did not find that his conduct was 'motivated by racial or gender-based animus'.
Chris Paul, who plays for the Suns, were among a numerous amount of NBA stars who furious at the lack of severity of punishment to Sarver - who is said to be worth close to £700 million.
In 2014, Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was also forced to sell the team and was fined around £2 million after he was found to have made racist remarks. He would be banned for life from the NBA.
The NBA interviewed 320 people and analysed 80,000 documents and videos following the reports of Sarver’s behaviours, which emerged in an ESPN article last November.
As well as Barack Obama, Jeff Bezos (Amazon founder) and Bob Iger (Disney CEO) have also been linked with ownership of the Suns.
