Barak Obama and his wife Michelle sat courtside on the USS Carl Vinson, among 7,000 other spectators in San Diego Bay, en route to an Asia Pacific summit in his native Hawaii, for a game televised on cable sports channel ESPN.
Enveloped by servicemen and veterans, US President watched Michigan State and North Carolina, two of the top ranked basketball programs in the US, face off on a hardwood court laid on the flight deck of the giant warship.
By celebrating the Veterans Day, Obama noted the USS Carl Vinson key role in the US wars initiated post 9/11 attacks in 2001.
"It was from this aircraft carrier that some of the first assaults on Iraq were launched," Obama said in a short speech on the court before the opening tip-off between two teams wearing camouflage uniforms.
"This ship supports what happens, what is happening in Afghanistan."
"Some of you may know, the men and women on the Carl Vinson were part of that critical mission to bring Osama bin Laden to justice," he said.
"To all our veterans to all our men and women in uniform we say thank you," said Obama," after two fighter jets streaked over during patriotic pre-game celebrations.
The USS Carl Vinson, then believed to be steaming in the Indian Ocean, was the vessel to which the body of most wanted Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was taken after the US special forces Navy Seal raid on his Pakistani hideout in May 2011 in which he was killed.
Bin Laden was later buried at Indian Ocean from the ship with full Muslim rites.
Former NBA and collegiate stars Magic Johnson and James Worthy served as honorary captains for their former colleges.
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