Bush Visits Autistic Teen Hoop Star

(CBS/AP) Jason McElwain, the autistic basketball manager who drew national cheers by scoring 20 points in four minutes for his high school team last month, has made a lot of fans since his big game. As CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman reports, those fans include the President of the United States.

And, like any fan, the President wanted to meet the star. So on his way to Canandaigua, N.Y., on Tuesday to speak at Medicare events, President Bush stopped at a nearby airport and met McElwain, accompanied by his parents and coach Jim Johnson.

"As you can see, a special person has greeted us at the airport," the president told reporters gathered on the tarmac, his arm draped around the 17-year-old senior, with Air Force One, the presidential jet, in the background. "Jason — can I call you J-Mac?" he joked.

Like millions of other Americans, the President was fascinated by McElwain's performance

"Our country was captivated by an amazing story on the basketball court," he said. "It's the story of a young man who found his touch on the basketball court, which, in turn, touched the hearts of citizens all around the country."

The president even kidded that if his aging body would let him return to the basketball court, he'd want to get some hoop lessons from McElwain.

"It's a dream come true to meet the president," McElwain said.

Because of his autism, McElwain didn't begin talking until he was five and still lacks some social skills. Despite suffering from the little-understood developmental disorder, he has served as all-around motivator for the Greece Athena High School basketball team, in Greece, N.Y., a Rochester suburb.

Last month, Johnson had him suit up for the final home game of the season and put him in with four minutes to go after the team opened a large lead. In his first and only appearance in a game, the 5-foot-6 manager missed his first two shots — but then sank six three-pointers and another shot (video), for a total of 20 points in three minutes.

Johnson has been amazed by the attention McElwain's big game has generated.

"I thought I did a nice thing for a kid," Johnson told Hartman, "and what happened for this is none of what I could ever dream for him."

The jaw-dropping performance was caught on a student video and made national news. Hollywood is also hounding him to sign, Hartman reports. McElwain's mom, a dental hygienist, says they've already heard from Disney and Warner Brothers.

Mr. Bush said he learned about McElwain from seeing him on TV.

"I wept, just like a lot of other people did," he said, as McElwain beamed beside him.