Mookie Betts, the former MVP, four-time World Series champion and veteran leader of the Dodgers, looked like a man itching to check in during Friday’sRuffles Celebrity All-Star Gameat the Kia Forum in Inglewood.
If you know Betts, he’s got a competitive fire that’s unmatched. He’s also an unbelievable athlete in anything that he does: bowling, golf, pickleball, basketball, you name it, Mookie excels at it, but on this day he had to stay on the sidelines.
“I gotta go to work in a couple days,” said Betts about why he wasn’t playing in the game with other celebrities. “So if I had gotten a twisted ankle or something, that’s more problems.”
Instead, he coached. He barked encouragement. He pointed to positions he wanted his players to be on the court like a point guard who still remembers the rhythm of hardwood beneath his feet.
Before he was an eight-time MLB All-Star, Betts was a floor general at John Overton High School in Nashville. A star point guard. District 12-AAA MVP. As a senior, he averaged roughly 14 to 15 points, nine assists and four rebounds per game — numbers that scream command more than flash.
On Friday, that same instinct surfaced while he coached Team Giannis. Betts leaned into his high school roots, offering tips on ball movement and defensive angles, boxing out on free throws, laughing with celebrities who were more used to red carpets than pick and rolls.
After the game, Betts toldThe California Postthat he was headed home to pack for Arizona and wasn’t able to participate in the other events and activities going on for NBA All-Star Weekend.
Position players report to spring training Tuesday. Betts said he plans to arrive early at Camelback Ranch, where pitchers and catchers are already ramping up. New closerEdwin Díaz drew early buzz upon arrival.Shohei Ohtani showed uplooking carved from granite, openlychasing a Cy Young Awardto stack onto his résumé.
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And Betts? He’s excited to see his teammates and chase history.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
