National Champion Duke Blue Devils Visit President Obama at the White House

Five months after winning a national championship, the Duke Blue Devils' men's basketball team paid a visit to President Barack Obama at the White House. 

In addition to the honor of meeting the president of the United States, Duke's roster, including Justise Winslow, Jahlil Okafor, Quinn Cook, Tyus Jones and others, got to come together one more time. 

Here's what that scene in the White House looked like Tuesday, via Duke Basketball:

Obama was in office five years ago when Duke came to the nation's capital after winning the 2010 national title, which was something he addressed early on, via Duke Basketball:

There was also a level of familiarity displayed between the president and Coach K, as the former made an amazing old-school literary reference, via Dan Berman of the National Journal:

That's an apt comparison too, since it does take time to process that Mike Krzyzewski is 68 years old even though he's been a head coach since 1975 and took over Duke 35 years ago. 

It's no secret that Obama is a huge sports fan, which tends to make these events at the White House more lively and entertaining. He's been featured on SportsCenter every year during his two terms making March Madness predictions and has an understanding of basketball. 

Obama has also been known to play a game of basketball here and there, so it's only fitting that Krzyzewski extended him an offer that the president responded to appropriately, via Ryan Hoerger of the Chronicle:

While the president will be busy for another 15 months until his second term ends, likely making him unavailable for those Duke fantasy camps for two years, the team did make sure he would have some mementos to carry with him, via Duke Basketball:

Even though the times have changed since Duke's first visit to see Obama in 2010, the president was able to spot a familiar face in the crowd behind him, via Samantha Lachman of the Huffington Post:

"

.@POTUS calls out @DRhodes15 - former WH intern & @dukebasketball manager ! pic.twitter.com/pWituoVv0o

— Samantha Lachman (@SamLachman) September 8, 2015"

As Coach K brought everything home, he noted how one-sided the relationship visits between the president and Duke have been over the years, via Duke Basketball:

"

Coach K to @potus: "We've been to your house twice and you haven't been to our house." pic.twitter.com/WfFMgpXCH4

— Duke M. Basketball (@Duke_MBB) September 8, 2015"

Sports are such a huge part of the fabric of our society. They can galvanize a community of vastly different people to root for one common goal.

Championship teams being able to visit the White House, especially with a president who cares about these games as much as everyone else, is always a great reminder of the role sports play.