The inaugural BIG3 Celebrity Game was more fun than it had any right to be. In the early goings, things were not pretty. There were a few layups, but no player seemed to be able to resist the siren song of the three-point (or four-point) shot, and it’s a lot harder to make shots from that distance than you’d think.
The early portion of the game mostly consisted of players trying to find their range from deep and failing to do so. It wasn’t especially pretty. However, as the game went on, players became acclimated to the outside shot, and things got very fun. NLE Choppa took a page from Justin Dentmon’s playbook and hit a one-footed three not once but twice, and he also made the only four-point basket of the game.
Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes came off the bench and represented for the journalists, as he showed some sweet footwork and a nice touch from mid-range.
Down the stretch, Gillie the Kid showed some serious game, and his shotmaking and overall skill were the difference for team WeBull, who were able to take home the win by a final score of 45-44. (Instead of the typical “first to 50” FIREBALL3 rules, this game ended as soon as the 50-minute running clock expired.)
This game was just a ton of fun. Rob Gronkowski was the archetypal bull in a China shop, which was effective and disastrous in equal measures. Harlem Globetrotter Crissa Jackson put some beautiful moves on, but often found herself trapped in positions where a teammate wasn’t able to make the cut or play one of her fellow Globetrotters would have been able to.
Miky Woodz showed some skills from the perimeter, and former Bachelor Matt James was able to use his 6’5 frame to be a force in the paint. Team Price.com Nelly was determined to drain an outside shot and, well, sometimes you have to appreciate a man’s persistence.
In short, everyone had fun, we got to see some serious displays of skill when we weren’t necessarily expecting them, and the conclusion to the game ended up being a thrilling one. Personally, I’m excited to see this game become an annual BIG3 tradition.