For a young up-and-coming NBA player, the phone call telling them they’ve been selected for their first ever All-Star game can rank as one of the most defining experiences of their entire career. Provided, that is, they’re able to pause the Pokémon game they’re playing to take the call.
While the initial rosters for the 2022 All-Star game were announced back in January, some injuries in the weeks since have opened up a few spots on the teams. James Harden is now out, for example, and so to take his place it was announced that Jarett Allen would joining Team LeBron.
This year’s All-Star game is taking place in Cleveland, and Allen plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. When Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff tried to call Allen to tell him the good news, though, he quickly found that Allen was, uh, busy:
#Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said that Jarrett Allen was unable to pause Pokemon Legends: Arceus so that’s what led to a quick conversation about him being named to the All-Star team.
Allen seemed to appreciate the message and went back to playing.
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) February 15, 2022
This is all very lovely. Allen seems like a cool guy, and has had a great year, so is very deserving of the accolade:
This is now the part where I remind you if you didn’t see the post last month that Allen got to choose his own sound effect that plays every time he scores, and he chose very well:
When Allen was back with the Brooklyn Nets (he was traded to Cleveland in January 2021), staff approached individual players for their sound effect requests. It’s a pretty common thing in the NBA to play something after a bucket, and Mario coin sounds have been played across the league for years. But Allen said, “It took me about 10 seconds to come up with the perfect one. Short and sweet.”
His request was for the iconic Zelda “secret” sound effect to be played, the one that you hear every time you solve a puzzle or uncover a hidden area. It’s a choice that followed him to Cleveland, and you can hear it in this highlight clip below (if it doesn’t autoplay at the correct position for you, you’ll need it at around 3:01)
Living up to his Pokédex entry ???? pic.twitter.com/oq2bZjF3qH
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 15, 2022
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