Sumith Prasad
In Peacock’s comedy series ‘Mr. Throwback,’ Adam Pally plays Danny Grossman, a sports memorabilia seller who was a basketball sensation during childhood. Even though he did not become an NBA icon like his former teammate Stephen Curry, Danny remains connected to the game through his store, Double Dribble Vintage. After meeting Curry, he displays his basketball skills by beating the former and putting the ball in the basket. Like his character, Pally also has a long association with the sport, especially as a renowned New York Knicks fan. The skills the actor displays are part of his everyday life, and he even managed to impress two legends in the game!
Adam Pally is a “Decent” Basketball Player
Adam Pally, in his own words, is a decent basketball player. He expressed his love for the sport both as a player and fan on several occasions over the years. “I play guitar, and I’m a decent basketball player—people like to play on my team,” the actor told Harper’s Bazaar in 2015. He must be one of the few performers, if not the only one, who publicly claimed on-court superiority over six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler. While appearing on ‘The Late Late Show with James Corden’ in 2016, Pally playfully told fellow guest Butler that he could beat the small forward.
“I [could] f*** you up. I am a Knicks fan. I mean, I [could] f*** you up, Jimmy Butler. […] I bet I not only could smoke you on the court, but I think I could take you physically in combat,” Pally jokingly told Butler. In the world of the sport, the actor is also known as a “basketball radio junkie,” especially due to his regular appearances on sports radio shows to discuss everything about the New York Knicks. He has also watched his favorite team from the courtside, which he described as the “greatest thing in my life.” While appearing on SI’s Crossover TV, he talked about the Knicks playing one of his scenes from ABC’s sitcom ‘Happy Endings,’ calling the same “everything I dreamed of as a kid.”
Adam Pally Impressed Steph Curry and Steve Kerr
During the production of ‘Mr. Throwback,’ Pally displayed his basketball skills before his co-star and NBA legend Steph Curry and the latter’s coach Steve Kerr. “I can’t believe I’m saying this; don’t put this in the story. We [Pally and Curry] had a scene where we played one-on-one, and he actually scored on me one time. I’m sure he’s got the clip on a constant loop on his phone and has texted it to everyone he knows. But it’s a solid game. It is very believable that he was a junior high star. Let’s put it like that. That’s his ceiling,” Curry told USA Today about playing basketball with the actor.
This particular scene is used in the series to establish Danny’s proficiency in the game despite not playing it professionally. Pally also practiced basketball where Curry’s Golden State Warriors train, making an impression on Kerr, the NBA team’s head coach. “After I practiced at the Warriors complex, Steve Kerr did come up to me and say that the Warriors are trying to get wider,” the actor told GQ. Pally’s exposure and history with basketball have made his character more authentic and convincing. Even though he is not a professional player, he has enough tricks under his sleeves to beat Curry, challenge Jimmy Butler, and shine before nine-time NBA champion Kerr.
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