The 2022 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was headlined by Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett, who has a legendary pickup run mixtape and is the rare athlete in their prime that participates in the game.
Garrett told us before the game that he would be going at about a “6 or 7” on an intensity scale out of 10, but promised to put on a show for the people of Cleveland. He certainly did that, setting the tone early with an outrageous block on Quavo.
Does defense translate to ?
Myles Garrett thinks so.#RufflesCelebGame on ESPN pic.twitter.com/G654EM4dFx
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022
When we asked before the game if he’d put Cleveland’s own Machine Gun Kelly on a poster, he said matter of factly, “if he jumps” and that almost came to fruition in the second quarter when Garrett caught the ball on the move and nearly caught MGK slipping near the rim, launching a dunk attempt off the back of the rim.
.@Flash_Garrett tried to RUIN @machinegunkelly pic.twitter.com/1fdydT1uiw
— ESPN (@espn) February 19, 2022
Garrett would get his redemption not long after on a fastbreak, throwing down what very well be the most impressive dunk in Celebrity Game history, cocking one back and throwing it down with authority.
DUNK CONTEST BEHAVIOR FROM MYLES GARRETT pic.twitter.com/K9vAcF1jDI
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 19, 2022
It wasn’t a great effort from the rest of Team Nique around Garrett, and as the game became a blowout everyone was simply hoping to see the big man throw down and he gave the fans what they wanted, treating the Celeb Game like his own personal dunk contest when presented with the opportunity. He had another dunk on the break on a slick behind the back pass, this time splitting a couple of defenders as he put it down.
Crissa Jackson drops the DIME to Myles Garrett!#RufflesCelebGame on ESPN pic.twitter.com/SHfknKGycP
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022
He also ended the game by saving the best for last, throwing down a windmill right after the buzzer.
Myles Garrett’s windmill slam didn’t count but so what pic.twitter.com/Zu4YhpqRj2
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) February 19, 2022
Garrett wasn’t the only high-flyer, as gold medal high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi got in on the act with the first dunk of the game on a tip dunk.
Gianmarco Tamberi is an Olympic Gold Medal high jumper for a reason #RufflesCelebGame on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XnK7fiifD1
— NBA (@NBA) February 19, 2022
Team Walton got the win though, with Peloton instructor Alex Toussaint taking home MVP honors, but it was undoubtedly Garrett who stole the show.