What is the official name of the White House basketball court and why was it named that?

1. What people mean when they ask “What’s the White House basketball court called?”

Most contemporary accounts and official pages refer to the feature as the White House tennis court on the South Lawn that was adapted for basketball, not as a separately christened “basketball court” with an honorary title; the White House’s interactive tour notes the tennis court was modified so it could be used for both tennis and basketball ^[1]. News timelines and feature stories likewise describe Obama’s move in 2009 as converting or adapting the existing tennis court to accommodate full-court basketball, rather than unveiling a newly named facility ^{[5] [6]}.

2. Who made the change and what did they actually do?

Multiple sources say President Barack Obama, a known basketball player, added basketball lines and baskets to the existing South Lawn tennis court early in his administration so the area could host full-court games; the White House archive and fact-checkers summarize it as a relatively modest adaptation rather than heavy construction ^{[1] [2] [4]}. Coverage recounts public moments tied to the adapted court — for example, Obama’s 50th birthday basketball game and Easter Egg Roll appearances — which reinforced the court’s dual use ^{[3] [7]}.

3. Was a formal, ceremonial name ever given?

Available sources do not mention any formal or ceremonial renaming of the court; they consistently call it the White House tennis court or refer to “the court” on the South Lawn that was adapted for basketball ^{[1] [3] [5]}. Fact-checking and historical roundups repeat the adaptation story but do not cite an official new name, suggesting there was no high-profile renaming recorded in current reporting ^{[2] [4]}.

4. Why might people assume it has an “official” name?

High-profile additions to the White House often acquire informal names (e.g., Rose Garden) or are associated with first families; because presidents historically leave visible marks on the grounds, observers sometimes expect a named facility after a notable change. In this case, the adaptation became culturally notable due to celebrity games and publicized events, which may create the impression of a formally titled court even though the records show only an adapted tennis court ^{[7] [8]}.

5. How have outlets and fact‑checkers framed the adaptation?

Fact-checkers and news outlets emphasize that the conversion was practical and modest — adding hoops and lines to an existing court — and they use that framing when debunking exaggerated claims about large expenditures or dramatic structural work ^{[2] [9] [4]}. Several pieces written during later White House renovation debates cited the Obama-era change as precedent for presidents making recreational or cosmetic alterations to the grounds, again without noting a formal renaming ^{[7] [6]}.

6. Competing viewpoints and remaining uncertainties

All provided sources agree on the basic factual thread: an existing tennis court on the South Lawn was adapted for basketball in 2009 under President Obama ^{[1] [3] [4]}. There are competing political framings in later coverage — some administrations and commentators use past changes to justify or criticize new renovations — but those debates reference the same underlying fact and do not point to any official, alternate name for the court ^{[7] [10]}. Available sources do not mention any documented ceremony, plaque, or White House statement conferring a formal name on the basketball configuration ^{[1] [4]}.

Bottom line: the feature is recorded in primary and secondary reporting as the White House tennis court on the South Lawn adapted to permit full-court basketball play in 2009 under President Obama; current sources do not record a separate official name for a “White House basketball court” ^{[1] [2] [4]}.