Watch: Cole Anthony hilariously pulls down his shorts during Desmond Bane's game-winning free-throw at the 2022 NBA Rising Stars Challenge
Cole Anthony is known for his antics and gimmicks on and off the court. He is one of the most hilarious players and proved that yet again during the Rising Stars game. With Team Worthy missing several opportunities to clinch the game, Desmond Bane got a chance to win it for Team Isaiah with a trip to the free throw line for two foul shots. The score was 49-48 and with the rule being first to 50 points wins, it all came down to Bane's free throws.
After Bane knocked down the first shot to tie the game, Cole Anthony thought of a way to prevent Bane from making the game-winning free throw. Anthony hilariously lowered his pants to cause a distraction, but Bane went on to make the second free throw to win the game for Team Isaiah.
Aside from these antics, Cole Anthony scored 4 points and dished out 3 assists during the game. He didn't shoot the ball well as he went 0-4 from beyond the arc.
Jalen Suggs and Jalen Green were the two stars for Team Isaiah, combining to score 36 points. They looked terrific right from the start and made some stellar dunks and plays to grab the attention of all the fans present in the arena.
Despite the loss, Cole Anthony's effort to distract Bane was well-thought-out as it could have saved the day for Team Worthy. Players distracting their opponents at the free throw line is nothing new. Cole Anthony just took it up another level.
Cole Anthony antics fail to give Team Isaiah a win over Team Worthy
Isaiah Thomas and James Worthy were all set to go up against each other in the NBA Rising Stars game. Both were given the responsibility to coach some talented young hoopers and usually, these games are played for fun and to lighten the mood of the players. But with both of them involved, that was never going to be the case.
Right from the tip-off, it was clear that both teams wanted to make it to the Finals. However, Team Isaiah had the upper hand and looked to easily grab the win. They had players like Isaiah Stewart, Desmond Bane and Saddiq Bey and the team looked sharp right from the start. Bey was near perfect as he scored 16 points on 87.5% shooting from the field. He also had three steals.
Team Isaiah had a ten-point lead in the game, but that was when James Worthy's team decided to turn things around. Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs made some big plays to get them back in the game. They were successful in keeping it close but needed someone to step up and close the game. With players like Cole Anthony, Josh Giddey and Tyrese Maxey in their lineup, many would have expected them to get over the hump, but they botched their chances of getting to the finals.
With the score tied at 46, Orlando Magic teammates Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony decided to pump up the crowd. Suggs threw the ball off the glass and Anthony dunked it to give Team Worthy a two-point lead, 48-46. After that move, Suggs went to the line and could have potentially won the game for the team. However, he missed one free-throw to let Team Isaiah back in the game.
Saddiq Bey went on to score an easy layup on the very next possession to make it a one-point game. Team Worthy still had a chance to win with a field goal or free throw, but Jalen Green was blocked by Saddiq Bey and then Desmond Bane was fouled, sending him to the line. Bane is a 90.6% free throw shooter and he showed nerves of steel when he made both attempts, despite Cole Anthony's antics, to win the game 50-49.