Obama’s NCAA brackets are kind to both Gamecock teams. Clemson? Not so much

President Barack Obama, a longtime hoops fan, has released his annual predictions for this year’s NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

He’s expecting a great finish for one local team, a solid run for another and a disappointing first-round upset for a third.

Obama’s women’s bracket has coach Dawn Staley’s undefeated South Carolina squad winning the 2024 national championship game over Iowa and star guard Caitlin Clark in Cleveland next month.

The Gamecocks (32-0) are the No. 1 seed in the Albany 1 Region and the heavy favorite to win the national championship after going undefeated for a second straight season and sweeping the SEC regular season and tournament titles.

For his men’s bracket, Obama is also predicting a solid run for the South Carolina men’s basketball, which is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017 and only its third this century.

Obama has the No. 6 seed Gamecocks and coach Lamont Paris winning in the first round against No. 11 Oregon and upsetting No. 3 Creighton in the second round before losing to No. 2 Tennessee in the Sweet 16.

Obama’s not as hot on the Clemson men’s basketball, which is also a No. 6 seed but currently a 2-point underdog to No. 11 New Mexico in its first-round game. Obama has the Lobos pulling off the upset.

College of Charleston is also in the NCAA Tournament after winning a second straight CAA conference championship. Obama has the No. 13 Cougars, led by coach Pat Kelsey, losing to No. 4 Alabama in the first round.

Obama, 62, was the 44th president of the United States and the first Black president of the US. He served two terms from 2009 to 2017.

In conjunction with releasing his brackets on social media Tuesday, Obama made an appearance on the “Ways to Win” podcast to discuss his picks. The podcast is co-hosted by Kentucky men’s basketball coach John Calipari and National Association of Basketball Coaches director Craig Robinson. Robinson, a former college basketball coach, is First Lady Michelle Obama’s older brother and Barack Obama’s brother-in-law.

“I’ve got South Carolina winning,” Obama said while discussing his women’s bracket. “Full stop. And it’s not just that they have amazing depth, but I love me some Dawn Staley. She’s just got swag.”

Obama went on to call Staley, who’s led USC to 2017 and 2022 national titles, as “outstanding.”

“(She) just has the attitude and swag, and you can tell her players just love her,” Obama said on the podcast. “She’s tough and they played disciplined. ... I am a big admirer of hers.”

Before marking the Gamecocks down for wins over No. 2 Stanford in the Final Four and No. 1 Iowa in the national championship game, Obama had USC beating No. 16 Presbyterian in the round of 64, No. 8 UNC in the round of 32, No. 4 Indiana in the Sweet 16 and No. 2 Notre Dame in the Elite Eight.