CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
After a series of viral clips showed Myles Garrett showing off his skills on the hardwood last summer, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski made a proclamation about his star defensive end's basketball career.
“He retired," Stefanski said. "So congratulations on a great career for Myles, really proud of him but he is done.”
Garrett, however, wasn't as certain that his pickup playing days were over: “I feel like it is more of a [Michael] Jordan retirement. I went to baseball/I went to basketball for a second, and now I have to go back to what I am good at and what I usually do -- playing football, rushing the passer and stopping the run."
WIth the 2021 NFL season in the rearview, the two-time All-Pro selection is hitting the hardwood once again as he was selected as one of the participants in next weekend's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in Cleveland. Paying tribute to Jordan, Garrett took to Instagram on Wednesday to tease his upcoming appearance, using the same statement that "His Airness" did to announce his return to the Chicago Bulls in 1995 after spending a season playing minor league baseball.
"I'm back," Garrett captioned a video post showing some of his best pickup basketball highlights.
At 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds, Garrett has described himself as a "big guard" when it comes to basketball. But while the three-time Pro Bowl selection's hoops highlights have been limited to informal settings, next week's event will allow him to showcase his skills in front of a national audience, as he joins the following celebrities who will be coached by either Bill Walton or Dominique Wilkins
Team Walton
- Jimmie Allen (singer, songwriter)
- Brittney Elena (host, actress, athlete and model)
- Machine Gun Kelly (singer, songwriter)
- Tiffany Haddish (comedian, actress and author)
- Dearica Hamby (Las Vegas Aces forward)
- Nyjah Huston (Olympian, professional skateboarder)
- Matt James (ABC’s The Bachelor)
- Quavo (rapper, recording artist)
- Ranveer Singh (actor)
- Anderson Varejao (Cleveland Cavaliers legend)
Team Nique
- Anuel AA (rapper)
- Mayor Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland)
- Kane Brown (singer, songwriter)
- Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns defensive end)
- Booby Gibson (Cleveland Cavaliers legend)
- Jack Harlow (rapper, recording artist)
- Crissa Jackson (Harlem Globetrotters player)
- Anjali Ranadivé (singer, songwriter)
- Gianmarco Tamberi (Olympic high jump champion)
- Alex Toussaint (Peloton instructor)
The 2022 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game will take place on Friday, Feb. 18 at Cleveland's Wolstein Center.