In a surreal twist of diplomacy, Syria’s new president — once tied to Al-Qaeda — was seen playing basketball in Washington D.C. just hours before meeting Donald Trump at the White House. The viral video, shared by Syria’s foreign minister, showed Al-Sharaa shooting hoops with top U.S. generals ahead of a landmark meeting set to reshape U.S.–Syria relations. His visit follows Washington’s quiet decision to remove his name from the global terrorist list. From warzones to the West Wing — is this “hoop diplomacy” or the start of a shocking alliance?