President Barack Obama was back in North Carolina. That, naturally, meant another shout-out to Reggie Love.

Love, the former Duke basketball and football player, is Obama's personal assistant - or body man. So whenever Obama is in North Carolina, he manages to mention Love.

"This is a community and a state that has been so good to me," Obama said at the town hall meeting at Broughton High School today. "And I know that part of the reason is that I travel with one of your home boys, Reggie Love."

"But I hope it's more than that," Obama said.

Next stop for the Tar Heels: The White House.

The country’s B-baller-in-chief will host the UNC-Chapel Hill men's team on May 11 at the White House, Barb Barrett reports. The team was invited by President Barack Obama for a ceremony in honor of their NCAA championship this year.

Details about the White House event remain sketchy, but here's some background: Obama practiced with the UNC team during the 2008 presidential campaign.

His personal assistant and body man, Reggie Love, played on a championship Duke basketball team. And Obama picked the Heels to win it all in his NCAA March Madness choices.

The president traditionally honors champions in both collegiate and professional sports. The UNC women's soccer team and the Carolina Hurricanes have previously been honored at the White House.

President Obama may be identifying with Coach K.

At a roundtable of regional reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, the president came close to predicting a rebound for Duke basketball's Coach Mike Krzyzewski at tonight's highly anticipated Carolina-Duke game.

He said Duke is "coming off one of the worst losses it has had in several years," but noted that Coach K had been working the team pretty hard this week.

"They might be fired up," he said. "I hope it's a close game."

Obama, of course, has been similarly pushing Congressional Democrats to pass an economic stimulus package tonight after getting rebuffed by Republicans and losing a Cabinet pick to tax trouble.

Still, the president avoided taking sides in the famous rivalry, although he played a pickup game with many of the Tar Heel standouts before the May primary.

Pointing to his body man, former Duke basketballer Reggie Love, he said he has to remain on the sidelines, as it were.

"If I said anything contrary to Duke, I might not be able to find my Blackberry," he said.

Who will be the next treasury secretary? Who's going to be secretary of state? What about defense secretary?

Washington's favorite parlor game - Who will get the key jobs in Barack Obama's administration? - is in full swing.

Jim Morrill and Barb Barrett looked at some of the North Carolinians who might - and we stress, might - be in play for a post:

Former Gov. Jim Hunt: Could North Carolina's longtime "education governor" be considered for education secretary after stumping so hard for Obama in Eastern North Carolina?

Suzanne Reynolds: The Wake Forest University law professor lost her bid for a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court, but might she get a look for a seat on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, one step below the U.S. Supreme Court?

U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield: The Wilson Democrat was the first member of North Carolina's delegation in the House to abandon John Edwards to support Obama. Might a federal judgeship be his reward?

Gov. Mike Easley: Easley has said he has little interest in Washington, and he initially supported Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. But he is about to be out of work. Might the former prosecutor get a look for a Justice department post?

Reggie Love: This one would seem to be a slam-dunk. Love, the former Duke University basketball and football player, was Obama's "body man" during the campaign. Hard to imagine he won't have a post waiting for him in the White House.

Karol Mason: A lawyer who sits on the UNC-Chapel Hill board of trustees, Mason is a close friend of Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. She was also on Obama's national finance committee. Some sort of policy post, perhaps?

Steve Lerner: The Chapel Hill venture capitalist hosted a $1,000-a-plate fundraiser for Obama way back in June 2007. Might such early support lead to an ambassadorship?

Jim Wynn: Wynn, just re-elected to his seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals, was nominated by President Clinton for the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, but was blocked by U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms. Will Obama give him another chance?

U.S. Rep. David Price: The Chapel Hill Democrat leads the powerful Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security, and has worked with Obama on legislation concerning private security contractors. Would he be willing to give up his seat in Congress for a spot at the Department of Homeland Security?

Barack Obama's right-hand man is a former Blue Devil.

Dome first noted former Duke University football and basketball player Reggie Love's gig as a "body man" to the Democratic presidential candidate in June of last year when the two came to Chapel Hill for a fundraiser. 

A New York Times profile has added some new details about the 26-year-old's job as Obama's "body man."

When Mr. Obama dropped food on his tie while eating in the car between stops, Mr. Love was ready with a Tide pen. He always carries one, along with ballpoint pens, and has turned himself into a walking dispensary of Sharpies, stationery, protein bars, throat lozenges, water, tea, Advil, Tylenol, Purell and emergency Nicorette, not to mention his ever-present iPhone, BlackBerry and Canon Rebel XT digital camera.

The two often play basketball together — especially during Obama's ritualistic game on the day of each state primary — and share music.

The piece notes that Love introduced Obama to Jay-Z, leading to the famous moment in a Raleigh speech where the candidate mimed brushing "dirt off his shoulder."

It also notes that Obama led a chant of "Reggie, Reggie, Reggie!" at a rally in Love's hometown of Charlotte.

Not many Tar Heels got close to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama during a visit Thursday.

As Rob Christensen reports, the Illinois senator made no public appearances and gave no interviews. That's because he was attending fundraisers, and campaign aides generally think news coverage dilutes the draw of a $1,000-a-plate dinner.

But one former North Carolinian got close to Obama: Reggie Love.

The former Duke University football and basketball player has accompanied Obama on his travels, according to a deputy press secretary for his campaign, although she said an attendee's description of him as a "bodyguard" was inaccurate.

Love also attended Obama's fundraiser at the home of investor Steve Lerner. Apparently, the long-rumored rule about Dukies not going to Chapel Hill does not apply to former players.