Mack Wilson Sr. on his 4th Annual Celebrity Basketball Game in Tempe
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. on his 4th Annual Celebrity Basketball Game at Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, on May 10, 2025.
Many NFL players were also top high school or college two-sport athletes who played basketball.
Those skills were on display May 10, when Arizona Cardinals‘ linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. held his fourth annual Celebrity Basketball Game for charity at Tempe Corona del Sol High School with several NFL stars on hand.
This was the first time Wilson held the event in Arizona rather than his home state of Alabama.
“It’s like home,” Wilson said, about having the event at the school, which is close to the Cardinals’ training facility in Tempe. “That’s where we work at and stuff, probably like four minutes up the street, and then they have their connection with the guys here. So we was able to get this location.”
Wilson’s Black team beat Hall of Famer Terrell Owens’ and Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Grey team, 93-90, in a game where it appeared bodybuilders were flying around the court. There were booming dunks, steals from tough but playful defense and plenty of 3-point shots in front of a crowd filled with kids, parents, and local media.
At 51, Owens still has speed and a chiseled physique reminiscent of his playing days.
“Anytime I can help a fellow Alabamian out,” Owens told The Arizona Republic, when asked about attending Wilson’s event. “Obviously, Mack is doing a tremendous job in the community. He’s not only doing it where he’s from but obviously where he’s playing, so hats off to him and everybody. All the players that came out to support what he’s doing.”
Other Cardinals players such as Trey McBride, James Conner, Michael Wilson, Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Judon and the New England Patriots‘ Keion White and Christian Gonzalez participated.
Owens was the Grey team’s catalyst off the bench early in the first quarter.
“I did notice I made a difference when I came in,” Owens said about the game. “I tried to be a facilitator, get us back in the game, make sure the right people (had) the ball in the right spots because we were down by like 10 or so before I got in the game. Then we caught back up and cut the lead. Mack’s team played a good game.”
Owens told The Republic he was recruited by Division II and III colleges to play basketball, but became a walk-on at his alma mater Tennessee-Chattanooga. He played three seasons for the team while also becoming a football star. Owens also played for one season on the Adirondack Wildcats in the U.S Basketball League (USBL) during his seven-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers from 1997 to 2003.
Conner told The Republic he picked Harrison as the Cardinals’ best hooper. Harrison played above the rim, showed a slick outside shooting touch and was a smooth slasher on his dribble drives.
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s got hops.
Terrell Owens gets a steal then assists Harrison’s drive and dunk. That was Harrison’s second dunk within three plays at his AZ Cardinals teammate Mack Wilson Sr.’s Celebrity Basketball Game. pic.twitter.com/Spi1veFgoa
— DANA (@iam_DanaScott) May 10, 2025
Mack Wilson balances power with finesse. He seemed crafty in initiating contact to create separation, getting to his spots and shoot the rock. Naturally, as a linebacker, Wilson was a tough defender in the paint and on the perimeter.
McBride bangs in two-handed dunks with ease, smooth layup finishes in traffic, and has a decent stroke from deep. The Grey team trusted him to take the last shot, but he missed the contested 3.
But do any of these guys who played in the celebrity game deserve an NBA training camp invite?
“I know Mack’s pretty good,” Gonzalez said. “Mack can hoop. Keion’s a little good. I don’t know. The NBA’s different.”
The Patriots’ 6-foot-5, 285-pound behemoth White said he was also recruited by D-II and D-III schools as a big during his high school days. White whimsically predicted before the game that he’d scored 40 and he’s ready for the NBA.
“I was just talking about this earlier,” White said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I need a 10-day contract. I’m trying out right now.’”