Cooper Flagg was motivated by the newly released movie Happy Gilmore 2. Days after the movie hit Netflix, the Dallas Mavericks rookie found himself at the golf range attempting to recreate the unconventional swing of Adam Sandler's character, Happy Gilmore.
Cooper's love for golf
It took him a while to get used to the unique run-up style swing. His first two attempts hardly sent the golf ball any distance. But by the third and fourth swings, he had started to get a hang of it as he hit some impressive shots.
Cooper Flagg recreating the iconic golf swing was not a surprise, given his passion for the sport. He has shared that golf is one of his favorite ways to relieve stress and spend free time and has even described it as his "hidden talent."
Prior to entering the NBA, Flagg had achieved a 14 golf handicap, which gave him the confidence to think he could compete against some of the top golfers in the NBA community, like Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum.
Cooper Flagg's admiration for Adam Sandler
By recreating Happy Gilmore's golf swing, Copper Flagg made it crystal clear that he is a fan of Adam Sandler. Flagg expressed his admiration for the actor.
In an interview with Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee for Esquire Flagg revealed that the would want to portray him in a biopic.
“If height didn’t matter, which celebrity would play you in a biopic,” the gymnast asked.
“If height didn’t matter, Adam Sandler,” Flagg answered.
“That was a good one,” Lee reacted.
Adam Sandler is a well-known face in the NBA community. He has shared the screen with legends like Shaquille O'Neal and Kevin Garnett, in his notable films like Grown Ups and Uncut Gems, respectively.
He also appeared in the iconic basketball-themed fictional movie Hustle, spending time with Juancho Hernangomez, Anthony Edwards and Dirk Nowitzki, Charles Barkley and Julius Erving.
With Sandler frequently hooping in open gyms along with NBA players, Cooper Flag and Adam Sandler inevitably cross paths in the future.