James O'Reilly
On April 8, Pope Leo XIV received the Harlem Globetrotters—the exhibition basketball team, full of entertaining tricks and games—at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square,
The pontiff was gifted a red, white, and blue basketball from the legendary “ambassadors of goodwill,” according to the FAO.
With the help of one of the players, he tried to spin the ball on the tip of his finger, one of the most iconic tricks of the basketball entertainers.
The Harlem Globetrotters have a long-standing relationship with the Holy See dating back more than seventy years. They visited several pontiffs in the past and have named figures such as John Paul II and Pope Francis as honorary members of the team.
The visit was part of the team’s centennial tour, during which they presented Pope Leo with a commemorative jersey bearing “Leo XIV” on the back.
