Do you love this game?
I love basketball. That’s how I close,
literally, every one of my days.
You’re doing a basketball film,
you need basketball people.
Show us what you got, young fella.
It was very important that this movie felt authentic.
To get that authenticity, we had to bring in people who
actually lived and breathed the game and that world.
So, let me ask you again – do you love this game?
About to have some fun!
Got a bunch of NBA guys here.
Trae Young, Aaron Gordon, “Bobi”.
Playing with Adam Sandler,
it’s amazing!
He’s a great basketball player.
This might’ve been my easiest day
ever, but my hardest day ever,
because I had a lot of lines.
Hella cool, man.
I think as the players get bigger
and bigger, fans want to see them
outside the NBA game. So, you get more opportunity for players
to do things off the floor and show who they are.
It’s exciting because there’s all these
basketball legends, Hollywood legends.
It’s great to be part of it.
We have “Dr. J” here. That shuts it all down! Julius Erving was here today.
“Dr. J” he’s the nicest guy, and he’s smooth as can be,
and 70-years-old still can kick everyone’s ass.
The director was phenomenal.
Adam was great.
It really resonated in a special
way because it brought back some good memories.
Can’t let ‘em forget.
My name is Dell Demps and
I’ve been working the NBA
for many years as a scout,
Director of Pro Player Personnel. The job of Adam’s character Stanley is a job that I had.
He helped giving Adam all the
little things- Of just –
you know all the stuff scouts do
on the road, how they travel, looking at footage,
what they would say here, what they would do.
What's the big guy's name?
I don't know.
Of course, we have our star, Juancho Hernangómez.
Do you want to be in the NBA?
Yes!
What you got? Let’s go.
We also had Anthony Edwards.
My former teammate, Juancho, is the
main character and I'm going
head-to-head with him.
Let’s give these people a show. What do you say, Bo?
I mean, me and him have always been like, super close friends on the team,
but we always went at each other like –
talking junk, playing 1 on 1, shooting versus each other.
*Crowd Cheers*
They were so tight. They just loved each other. When you would call cut
those two would just sit and talk and play horse.
We always did it in practice, like, went back and forth.
So, Juancho, he was like, man, I want you to be in the movie.
I was like alright, I got you.
We’re doing the NBA Combine scene.
That’s why you have the Combine. Let the world see this talent.
Get out and go, get out and go! Real wide, real wide!
Earlier this summer I coached
at the NBA Combine,
and from an authenticity standpoint this looks identical.
And it looks – look at it! It looks like the Combine.
We worked with the NBA,
and a lot of NBA fans are really gonna
pick up who we actually have in the Combine. You’re gonna see actual coaches,
you’re gonna see actual scouts.
We’re so happy that we were able to recreate the Combine here in Philly.
Philadelphia, baby. Best sports fans in the world.
Actually, the worst, but that’s what makes them the best.
Love you, Adam! Philly loves you!
Having a connection to Philadelphia
was really important, because the city
of Philadelphia is just a great place to play and to play against.
So, we got the 76ers as partners in the movie,
and you can see we’re here
at the Wells Fargo Center.
When I walked on the set & realized
this is a perfect replica of
the 76ers conference room.
This is exactly how it looks at our practice facility and our office.
When I walked in here, I was like yo! What? What?
To be able to work with legends, like
Mr. Duvall and Adam Sandler, it’s been cool.
I think there’s a legacy of Philly
sports movies. So, I think it’s fun that
this gets to be a part of the “Rockys” and the “Invincibles” and the like.
There’s a thousand other guys waiting in the wings who are obsessed with this game.
You got all the talent in the world, but are you obsessed?
Yells