Adam Sandler Shows off Basketball Skills Prior to Appearance on ESPN's 'The Jump'

With Adam Sandler's new film, Uncut Gems, making its debut this week, his love of basketball is [...]

By John Newby

With Adam Sandler's new film, Uncut Gems, making its debut this week, his love of basketball is being put on full display. As it turns out, he also has some skills on the court. Prior to an appearance on ESPN's The Jump, Sandler was told to throw up one more shot toward the hoop on the set. He made it with ease.

As video on Twitter showed, Sandler is a decent dribbler but is a better shooter. He made the shot on the first try without even hitting the rim. Even the extra pressure from the various bystanders and cameras didn't appear to affect the longtime sports fan. He just made the shot.

The distance of the shot was not revealed by ESPN, but the video made it appear to be either a long two or a three-pointer. Either way, Sandler showed that he has spent considerable time on the basketball court throughout his life.

The former SNL cast member is a Knicks fan and even rooted against the Celtics when he moved to Massachusetts as a child. He had the chance to adopt the local team, but Sandler simply couldn't make the leap.

"I could have become a Celtic fan," Sandler said to reporters last week, per ESPN. "But I rooted against Larry Bird very hard. I wanted Julius [Erving to win]. I wanted the Sixers. I don't know what was with me. I made a mistake."

This love of basketball is one reason why he got involved with Uncut Gems, the story set during the playoff battle between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. Former NBA star Kevin Garnett has a starring role and frequently interacts with Sandler's character after becoming fascinated with a black opal that he believes will contribute to his success during the playoffs.

With the movie set to release, Sandler will be able to put his love of basketball on full display while Garnett shows off his acting abilities on the big screen. However, the man responsible for Big Daddy and Billy Madison is already showing that he can sink a basket with ease when given the chance. ESPN was on hand to witness the event, and the sports channel even provided video evidence.

Photo Credit: Allen Berezovsky/Getty

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