NBA fans called out ESPN for a rather strange graphic they showed of actor Adam Sandler during Saturday’s broadcast of the Los Angeles Lakers-Denver Nuggets game.

The “Saturday Night Live” legend and “Billy Madison” star was one of several big-named celebrities at the Lakers-Nuggets game at Crypto.com Arena last night. During the game, ESPN/ABC shared a graphic comparing what Sandler looked like in 2008 compared to the present.

 

Adam Sandler watching Lakers-Nuggets playoff game at Crypto.com Arena.

There wasn’t really a logical explanation for just randomly sharing this age progression video of Sandler. Many fans took to Twitter to call out the Worldwide Leader in Sports for sharing this during the broadcast.

ESPN just disrespected our legend Adam Sandler smh

— brandon ? (@BRomero999) May 21, 2023

Friday ESPN Production Meeting:

ESPN Producer 1: What if we showed how happy Adam Sandler used to be at Laker games like 15 years ago when he was a kid compared to now when he’s old and miserable? Just flash both those pictures real quick before the under 8 minute third quarter… pic.twitter.com/fz0uxIgfOa

— Scott Simpson (@NimblewNumbers) May 21, 2023

Other celebrities at the Lakers game included longtime L.A. superfan Jack Nicholson (who co-starred with Sandler in the 2003 film “Anger Management”), Jennifer Hudson, Adele, Robert Pattinson and Denzel Washington.

The actual game itself left a lot to be desired for Lakers fans. They weren’t much of a match for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, who cruised to a 119-108 victory to take a commanding 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.

The Nuggets now find themselves just one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Los Angeles will now try to become the first team in history to successfully erase a 3-0 series deficit.

Game 4 between the Nuggets and Lakers will take place on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. EST.