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Pope Francis has expressed his admiration for basketball, describing it as a sport that lifts you up to the heavens. He has met with players from the NBA Players Association and praised the values of teamwork and discipline that the sport instils in its players. He also emphasised the importance of perseverance and graciousness in defeat. Pope Francis is not the first pope to show an interest in sports, with Pope Leo XIV also expressing support for basketball, specifically the team from his alma mater, Villanova.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pope's opinion on basketball | Pope Francis described basketball as a "sport that lifts you up to the heavens" |
| Pope's meeting with NBA players | Pope Francis met with NBA players in 2020 to discuss the role of sports in addressing social justice |
| Pope's view on sports | Pope Francis believes that sports can help people grow in holiness and foster teamwork, discipline, and perseverance |
| Pope's sports fandom | Pope Francis is a fan of soccer and basketball, with fond memories of watching the Harlem Globe Trotters |
| Pope's sports ability | Pope Francis described himself as a "hard leg" in soccer, indicating limited athletic ability |
| Pope Leo XIV's sports fandom | Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the US, may support Villanova basketball and the Chicago Bears |
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What You'll Learn
Pope Francis's praise for basketball
Pope Francis has expressed his love and praise for basketball on numerous occasions. He has described the sport as "a sport that lifts you up to the heavens", reflecting on its ability to inspire and motivate people to look upwards and aim high.
On May 31, 2021, Pope Francis met with members of the Italian Basketball Federation at the Vatican's Clementine Hall. During this audience, he shared his admiration for the sport, saying:
> "I would like to say one thing with basketball in mind. Yours is a sport that lifts you up to the heavens because, as a famous former player once said, it is a sport that looks upwards, towards the basket, and so it is a real challenge for all those who are used to living with their eyes always on the ground."
Pope Francis also emphasised the importance of sports in promoting healthy play among children and young people. He encouraged them to look up, to persevere, and to understand that life is a journey of defeats and victories. He stressed the value of teamwork and discipline, urging participants to show graciousness in defeat and to learn from it.
Pope Francis's enthusiasm for basketball is part of a broader interest in sports. He has had over 40 documented remarks on sports in audiences, letters, and messages. He has also released videos on high-profile sporting events and met with athletes and sports organisations, such as the NBA Players Association, to discuss the role of sports in addressing social justice issues.
Growing up, Pope Francis played soccer with improvised balls made of rags, reflecting his enthusiasm for sports and play. He has shared fond memories of watching the Harlem Globetrotters in Buenos Aires in the 1950s and spending family time at soccer stadiums.
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Pope Francis's meeting with the NBA Players Association
Pope Francis, who has been described as a "streetball player and a loyal fan", met with a delegation of five NBA players and officials from the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) at the Vatican in November 2020. The meeting was held to discuss the players' efforts to address social and economic injustice.
The players who attended the meeting were Jonathan Isaac, Sterling Brown, Anthony Tolliver, Marco Belinelli, and Kyle Korver. They took turns addressing the pope and gifted him with a book documenting their community and social initiatives, jerseys, and a Black Lives Matter T-shirt. The meeting came just days before the release of Pope Francis's book, "Let Us Dream: The Path to A Better Future", in which he supports demands for racial justice following the killing of George Floyd.
Pope Francis has long been an advocate for sports and its ability to promote healthy play among children and young people. He has stressed the importance of teamwork and discipline and has released videos on the occasions of high-profile sporting events like the World Cup and the Super Bowl. He has also extended special greetings to athletes during the Olympics and the Paralympic Games.
During the meeting with the NBPA, Pope Francis shared stories of watching the Harlem Globe Trotters in Buenos Aires in the 1950s. He also spoke about the value of teamwork and discipline, urging participants to show graciousness in defeat and to never give up.
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Pope Leo XIV's support for Villanova basketball
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, is the first American-born pope. He grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of Villanova University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics.
Pope Leo XIV is a known sports fan, and his love of basketball is well-documented. He has expressed support for his alma mater, Villanova University's basketball team, and has even retweeted a celebratory post after the men's basketball team won the national championship in 2016. The NCAA was quick to highlight the new Pope's connection to Villanova.
The Pope's interest in basketball extends to the NBA, where he is a fan of the New York Knicks. The Knicks currently have several former Villanova players on their roster, including Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. The Knicks' coach, Tom Thibodeau, has joked about the ex-Villanova players on his team, saying, "Now they can be forgiven for their sins."
In addition to his love of basketball, Pope Leo XIV is also a fan of baseball, specifically the Chicago White Sox. He has been seen supporting the team in the 2005 World Series, and his brother has confirmed that he has always supported the White Sox.
The Pope's support for Villanova basketball and other sports teams has been a surprising and interesting aspect of his personality that has intrigued many people, especially those in the sports world.
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Pope Francis's meeting with the Italian Basketball Federation
On May 31, 2021, Pope Francis met with members of the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) at the Vatican's Clementine Hall. The meeting marked the centenary of the FIP, the national governing body for basketball in Italy.
Pope Francis has a well-documented interest in sports, with over 40 remarks on the topic in audiences, letters, and messages from 2013 through the pandemic. He has also met with athletes and sports organisations on several occasions, including the NBA Players Association in 2020 and players of the northern Italian soccer club Spezia in 2021.
During the meeting with the FIP, Pope Francis highlighted the value of teamwork and discipline in sporting activities. He noted that sports bring people together, fostering relationships and a shared goal, and can help address individualism and isolation in society. The Pope also emphasised the importance of perseverance and graciousness in defeat, recalling a story of a runner-up who kissed their medal.
Pope Francis further described basketball as a "sport that lifts you up to the heavens," quoting a famous former player who said that basketball "looks upward, towards the basket." He encouraged the FIP to promote healthy play among children and young people, urging them to "look up, to never give up, and to discover that life is a path made up of losses and victories."
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Pope Francis's thoughts on perseverance in basketball
Pope Francis has spoken extensively about sports, and basketball in particular, throughout his pontificate. He has described basketball as a "sport that lifts you up to the heavens", emphasising its ability to encourage people to look upwards and aspire, rather than always looking down.
In an audience with members of the Italian Basketball Federation in May 2021, he stressed the importance of perseverance in basketball, urging participants to show graciousness in defeat. He said:
> "I would also like this to be a noble task for you: to promote healthy play among children and young people, to help young people to look up, to never give up, to discover that though life is a journey made up of defeats and victories, the important thing is not to lose the desire to ‘play the game’."
He continued by recalling the story of a runner-up who kissed their medal, instead of discarding it. This, he said, teaches us that "even in defeat, there is victory". Pope Francis urged the audience to "take on defeats with maturity, because it helps you grow, it lets you understand that in life not everything is always sweet, not everything is about winning".
Pope Francis has also spoken about the value of teamwork and discipline in basketball, joking that he "always repeats" himself on this point. He has met with players from the NBA Players Association, discussing the role of sport in addressing social justice, and has shared memories of watching the Harlem Globe Trotters in Buenos Aires in the 1950s.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Pope Francis has expressed his admiration for the sport, describing it as "a sport that lifts you up to the heavens". He has also praised the values of teamwork and discipline that basketball promotes. Pope Francis has met with NBA players and officials and shared memories of watching the Harlem Globe Trotters in Buenos Aires in the 1950s.
During an audience with the Italian Basketball Federation in May 2021, Pope Francis said:
> "Yours is a sport that lifts you up to the heavens because, as a famous former player once said, it is a sport that looks upwards, towards the basket, and so it is a real challenge for all those who are used to living with their eyes always on the ground."
He also emphasised the importance of perseverance and graciousness in defeat, urging young people to "never give up".
While there is no definitive evidence that Pope Francis or any other Pope has played basketball, the Pope has described himself as a "streetball player" and a "loyal fan" of sports in general. He has also expressed enthusiasm for soccer, or football, having grown up playing the sport with improvised balls made of rags.
