Adam Sandler on Love for Dropping in on Local Basketball Games, Benefit of Being Mistaken for Ben Stiller on Court

Joe Price
·3 min read
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In an interview to promote his new Netflix movie Hustle, Adam Sandler opened up about his love of dropping in on local basketball games.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Sandler spoke about the new sports drama and spoke about his affinity for turning up to whatever pick-up games he stumbles across. Asked about his love of the sport, Sandler said that he’ll catch a college match-up every now and then but he’s more up-to-date with the NBA.

“I like playing basketball, I used to play a lot more,” the 55-year-old admitted, prompting Kimmel to bring up how he’s been spotted at random games in parks when he’s not busy filming his various projects.

“I see a game going on, I know where parks are,” he said near the 8:30 point of the interview, as seen above. “If I’m shooting in a particular state or a city, I’ll ask around where’s some good games and then I go and show up.”

He then shared a hilarious story from a recent drop-in. “So I get to this game recently,” he shared. “‘Can I get in there?’ I get in there. Run it up and down, and the guy guarding me is a little weirded out. He keeps staring at me, and we’re running up and down the court and I’m like, ‘Oh no, he’s not even guarding me.’ He’s feeling, like, weirded out, he keeps staring deep at me. And I’m like, ‘How you doing man?’ His teammates are yelling at him and stuff, like, get up on him. He’s got this weird thing going on. I said, ‘Buddy I came here to get a sweat, you know?’”

Eventually he suggested that they just start running up, and it was at this point the guy stopped Sandler and asked him a question. “He just goes, ‘Are you Ben Stiller?’” Sandler continued. “I said yes I am, and then I realized he thinks I’m Stiller so I can foul a little more. I let him have it.” Last year, Sandler went viral after various videos showed him playing basketball out in Long Island.

Also guesting on the latest Kimmel was Sandler’s Hustle co-star Queen Latifah. Around the 6:00 point of her interview, as seen below, Kimmel asked the actor-rapper about her time playing in a celebrity benefit basketball games. He then showed a clip of her stealing the ball from Shawn Kemp, a highlight she was obviously and justifiably very proud of. “That is for entertainment purposes only,” she added with a laugh.

Latifah also touched upon playing Sandler’s wife in Hustle, and said she was so happy to be onscreen next to him. “How can you not love Adam Sandler?” she said. “I was admiring his sneakers earlier today, and he was like, ‘Hey, go to the store and get Queen a couple of pairs of these.’ And they just showed up at my room. … So he’s a good provider, and I appreciate that.”

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