Adam Sandler was considered the best basketball player among the stars of the movie "Grown Ups," which is about a middle-aged reunion of a youth basketball team.

"I play basketball every day," Sandler said. "I'm not great. I'm OK at it. I wish I could be better at it but I'm just slow and I can't jump too high."

So Sandler took advantage of a chance to improve by working with former UCLA and NBA guard Pooh Richardson, a consultant on the movie.

"I didn't do it for the movie as much as I do play basketball a lot and this was my excuse to get better at the game," he said "I hung out with Pooh for maybe two or three months and he helped my game a lot.

"Since it was publicly known Pooh worked with me, every time I play well . . . This just happened the other day. I beat some kid one-on-one and he walked off the court and some other guy walked up to him and said, 'Well, he takes lessons!'"

Did the actors have to make sure to look in the movie like people who were good players as youngsters?

"We were good in sixth grade," Sandler said. "I've got to be honest: In sixth grade I was known as a good athlete. As the years progressed that went away . . . By eighth grade I was known as a good reader."

More sports media

Newsday LogoSUBSCRIBEUnlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 5 months
ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME