In an unprecedented diplomatic moment, Syrian President al-Sharaa played basketball with top U.S. generals hours before his historic White House visit—the first by a Syrian head of state since 1946. This casual sporting moment underscores the dramatic shift in U.S.-Syria relations following the lifting of U.N. sanctions and al-Sharaa’s removal from the U.S. terror watchlist. The visit will see discussions on direct Syria-Israel security negotiations, Syria’s potential role in the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, and efforts to ease remaining economic restrictions under the Caesar Act. Analysts call it a historic step in Syria’s international rehabilitation.