Adam Sandler’s Speech from Hustle [2022] “Never Back Down”

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Excerpt: Adam Sandler’s speech from Hustle [2022] is one of the all-time great motivational speeches played in a sports movie. Read/ watch it here…

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Introduction: Context For The Speech

Spoilers ahead. If you’re like me and hate spoilers, you can scroll down and skip right to Adam Sandler’s motivational speech. Otherwise, let’s get you caught up to where this scene takes place so you have some context.

Adam Sandler plays Stanley Sugarman, an NBA basketball scout for the 76ers. He travels the world looking for talent—both known and unknown—to recruit onto the team. He’s very good at his job, but wants to move into coaching because he’s sick of always being on the road.

Because he’s so good at his job, his move up to a coaching position is denied and prolonged until he can find the 76ers’ “missing link”—the recruit that’ll elevate the roster and take the team to the playoffs.

Well, after many long nights of travel and after having searched far and wide—Stanley thinks he finally found just the guy. The only problem is… the main coach disagrees with his find and denies the support of the 76ers franchise.

Stanley proceeds anyway and is determined to prove him wrong.

This leads to a wild series of events where Stanley essentially puts his whole career on the line for this one recruit and commits everything to prepping training him for the draft. The motivational speech that you’re about to read takes place at one of their low moments when Bo Cruz (Stanley’s recruit) is ready to give up.

I really enjoyed the movie and would recommend you check it out if you’re a basketball fan. There are a TON of player appearances that elevate the movie from your average underdog story to an NBA endorsed gem that’ll lighten up the faces of ball fans both old and new.

And if for no other reason, there’s a training montage that plays David Dallas’ “Runnin” in the background that makes the movie worth it in and of itself (in my humble opinion). I felt like training for a marathon after that one (and have had Dallas’ song on repeat ever since hearing it).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the speech and cheers to your continued growth! ~ Matt

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Adam Sandler’s Speech from Hustle [2022]:

Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangomez): “I fly home tomorrow?”

Stanley Sugarman (Adam Sandler): “Is that what you want to do? You come all this way, have one bad day, and you’re ready to back down?”

Bo: “No, but I suck.”

Stanley: “Do you love this game? I mean, love it with your whole heart? Because if you don’t, let’s not even bother. Let’s not open that door. They’re gonna slam it in our face. I love this game. I live this game. And there’s 1000 other guys waiting in the wings who are obsessed with this game. Obsession is gonna beat talent every time. You’ve got all the talent in the world, but are you obsessed? Is it all you ever think about? Let’s face it, it’s you against you out there. When you walk on that court, you have to think I am the best guy out there. I don’t care if LeBron‘s playing. So let me ask you again. Do you love this game?“

Bo: “Yes.”

Stanley: “Is there a newborn kitten purring in here right now? I couldn’t hear you. Do you wanna be in the NBA?”

Bo: “Yes!”

Stanley: “Well let’s make that happen! Never back down.”

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To watch the scene with all of its emotion and grip, I’ve embedded the official scene from the movie below. Definitely worth the watch.

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