WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Reggie Love, President Barack Obama's basketball-playing personal assistant and travel companion, is leaving the White House at the end of this year to finish a graduate degree in business. Love, a towering former college basketball star at Duke University, has been a constant presence in Obama's orbit for years, including his time as a presidential candidate and at the White House.
Constantly at the president's side, Love is often referred to as his "body man."
A White House spokeswoman said Love was leaving to focus on his studies. He has been working on a business administration degree at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton school while holding down his travel-intensive job.
"Over the years, Reggie has been a friend, a teammate and an indispensable member of my staff. From my Senate office to the White House, his ability to juggle so many responsibilities with so little sleep has been an inspiration to watch," Obama said in a statement.
"And even though I will miss seeing Reggie every day, I want to thank him for his service and wish him all the best as he begins a new chapter in his career."
(Reporting by Jeff Mason; editing by Anthony Boadle)
