Former President Obama on Sunday congratulated the Los Angeles Lakers and the Seattle Storm on their respective championship wins and praised the NBA and WNBA overall for their work fighting for racial justice this season.

“Congrats to the @Lakers and @Seattlestorm on their championship wins! Proud of all the NBA and WNBA teams and players who’ve been using their platforms to take a stand for racial justice and encourage civic participation this season,” Obama tweeted.

Congrats to the @Lakers and @Seattlestorm on their championship wins! Proud of all the NBA and WNBA teams and players who’ve been using their platforms to take a stand for racial justice and encourage civic participation this season.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 12, 2020

The Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, winning the best-of-seven series four games to two. It marks the 17th title for the Lakers.

The Seattle Storm won the WNBA Championships last Tuesday, coming out 92-59 over the Las Vegas Aces and sweeping the best-of-five finals series. 

The NBA and WNBA had made the Black Lives Matter movement a center message this year in the wake of protests this summer over the deaths of George Floyd and other Black Americans in police custody.

Obama, an avid basketball fan himself, got involved and spoke with the NBA and players about forming a social justice committee in August. 

Alongside protests by players and other measures taken to advocate for racial justice, the NBA painted courts with Black Lives Matter and the WNBA wore “Say Her Name” jerseys in honor of Breonna Taylor. 

The Lakers win on Sunday comes as a big moment for fans of the team who are still mourning the death of former Laker Kobe Bryant as well as his daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, who also played basketball. The two died alongside several others in a helicopter crash in January. 

“Kobe,” “Gigi,” and “Gianna” were immediately sent to the top of Twitter on Sunday night after the win as players and fans dedicated the win to them.

“He was a big brother to all of us. We did this for him.”

AD on winning the championship for Kobe #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/mrMt3gDm8Y

— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 12, 2020

only right! congrats to the lakeshow!!! #kobe

— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) October 12, 2020

Mamba and Mambacita Forever.

The Lakers have done it For Kobe and For Gigi pic.twitter.com/I9qKw6TDUW

— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) October 12, 2020