George W. Bush just got named the WNBA’s first Honorary Commissioner. It happened right at the Dallas Wings’ home opener, and nobody saw it coming.

The former president showed up in a custom “Dubya for Three” jersey and cracked to reporters, “After the White House, I figured I’d finally take a job where the plays are actually bipartisan.”
The league pointed to his history with women’s sports as the reason. Remember that 2023 Wings game where he went viral showing off his free-throw form? That, plus his general support for the cause, sealed it.

Reactions hit fast. Michelle Obama tweeted, “Who’s got next? (Seriously, this is awesome.)” Brittney Griner chimed in with, “I hope you like dunking on Twitter trolls, sir.” Even an ESPN analyst admitted it was smart PR: “He’ll bring more attention to the league in one week than most politicians do in a lifetime.”

Bush’s gig isn’t heavy lifting. He’ll do ceremonial tip-offs, push for better media coverage, and design a “Freedom Ball” for the 2024 All-Star Game—tying into his painting side hustle. At the presser, he joked, “I promise no hanging chads on the scoreboard,” then jumped into a surprise three-point shootout with Wings players. He hit one out of ten, but hey, effort counts.
The hope is this amps up the WNBA’s fight for gender equality in sports. As Bush left the court, he dropped a classic Bushism: “Fool me once… shame on you.” These women aren’t fooled—they know a good ally when they see one.

League season kicks off next week, and this endorsement feels like the wild card nobody expected. Could be a boost the WNBA needs.