Adam Sandler is a big basketball fan, who often shows up to random gyms around the country to play pick-up games. The popular actor is also friends with NBA legends like Shaquille O’Neal. In fact, Sandler’s most successful film ever, ‘Grown Ups 2’, featured a cameo from Shaq.
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‘Grown Ups 2’ was the highly sought-after sequel of its predecessor and exceeded expectations at the box office. The film became Sandler’s highest-grossing movie at $247 million in box office sales.
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Following his retirement from the NBA, Shaq made a name for himself in the entertainment industry. He was well-known for his stints in movies since his time in LA with the Lakers. Shaq’s friendship with Sandler has seen him appear in many of the actor’s movies.
In ‘Grown Ups 2’ he played the role of Officer Fluzoo. As a former cop himself, Shaq played the role of the fun-loving officer well.
Shaq’s cameo was just a few minutes in length but immediately became a fan favorite. The former Lakers star shared in an interview with The Source his highlights from the film. Shaq said,
“Just being able to be out there with a star studded cast and get to know them. We talked about basketball stuff, we talked about movie stuff and it’s just like a dream come true.”
His appearance in ‘Grown Ups 2’ wasn’t his first taste of acting. Shaq made his acting debut in the cult classic basketball film ‘Blue Chips’. He then followed up with a lead role in the film ‘Kazaam’.
Sandler has grown to be a popular figure within NBA circles. He was seen in a private NBA run with the likes of Trae Young, Aaron Gordan, and Tobias Harris.
@thescore That time Adam Sandler joined a run with NBA hoopers [via @cassyathena ♬ original sound – thescore
Players around the league treat Sandler as one of their own due to how much the actor loves hooping. Sandler produced and acted in the hit film ‘Hustle’ as well in 2022. The film featured a plethora of athletes from the NBA, like Anthony Edwards, Juancho Hernangomez, Boban Marjanovic, and Kenny Smith, among others.
