Denzel said he wants to play hoops with Obama

Actor Denzel Washington on Wednesday said he’d make a “good match” for a basketball game with President Obama, helping to cement Obama’s status as the nation’s most desirable hoops opponent.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Washington answered reporters’ questions about his upcoming visit to the White House later that afternoon. 

{mosads}“Maybe I’ll get to play basketball with the president!” Washington mused. The actor grinned as the audience cracked up. “It’d be a good match!” he promised.

Washington may be right about that: At 6 feet and one-quarter inches tall, the 55-year-old Oscar winner matches up pretty evenly to Obama, who is 6’1’’ and age 49. 

He’s also a big supporter of Obama off the court, having made political donations to the president since 2007.

But when in comes to hoops, there are two people in line ahead of Washington: Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and his daughter Ayla are still waiting to take on Obama and his eldest daughter, Malia, a challenge Brown issued before he joined the Senate last year.

As for the rest of Washington’s White House agenda, the actor planned to hand-deliver a letter to Obama asking the president to help ensure that every student graduates from high school on time.

The letter is part of an initiative by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, for which Washington has been a supporter and spokesman for more than 18 years.