In what could be coined the "Basketball Primaries," Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will face off Tuesday in two states rich in basketball tradition. North Carolina and Indiana have produced such all-time greats as Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, respectively, and include powerhouse college basketball programs at Indiana University, Duke and the University of North Carolina. Mr. Obama is well aware of this.

He starred on the basketball court during his high school days in Hawaii, and his skills don't appear to have eroded much over the past 30 years. Last week, he played a three-on-three game with high school students in Kokomo, Ind., and this week took on members of the U.N.C. team in Chapel Hill, including national collegiate player of the year Tyler Hansbrough. Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams was quoted telling his players: "You guys are leaving the next president of the United States wide open."

If Mr. Obama wins both states on Tuesday, his basketball skills probably won't be the deciding factor. However, presidential candidates look for every opportunity to connect with voters on a personal level and prove they are down to earth (see the two Democrats' exploits in several Pennsylvania bars). In North Carolina and Indiana, the ability to play basketball -- and play it well -- is as a good a way to do so as any. It's also a great way to appear genuine, since an effective jump shot is hard to fake.