Watch: Pope Leo XIV spins basketball on his finger, with help from Harlem Globetrotters

US exhibition squad, the Harlem Globetrotters, met the pontiff in the Vatican, helping him to spin a basketball on the tip of his finger.

During the Vatican General Audience on April 8th, the Harlem Globetrotters taught Pope Leo XIV how to spin a basketball on his fingertip before presenting him with a personalized jersey.

Pope Leo XIV spun a basketball on his finger with assistance from the Harlem Globetrotters at the Vatican. The Pontiff received a basketball lesson from the famed exhibition team during their visit to St. Peter's Square on Wednesday.

Pope Leo XIV learned a classic Harlem Globetrotters trick from the US exhibition basketball team as he welcomed them to Vatican City's St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday (8 April). During the audience, the pontiff attempted to spin their red, white, and blue basketball on a finger with help from one of the players, drawing cheers and smiles from those around him. The moment was reminiscent of a previous visit to the Vatican by the team, when Pope Francis also tried to keep a ball spinning on a single finger.

Pope Leo XIV brought a light touch to St. Peter's Square this week, sharing a playful moment with the Harlem Globetrotters that quickly drew smiles from the crowd. It was a formal setting, but the energy in the room was tremendous once a basketball came into play. The Pope, known for embracing unexpected moments, leaned into the fun as the Globetrotters invited him to try one of their signature tricks. For a brief stretch, the scene felt less like a public appearance and more like a pickup lesson. There was laughter across the square afterwards.