Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony might be as passionate about Pokémon as he is about basketball.
On Feb. 27, Orlando's TikTok account asked different players from the Magic to guess various characters from the popular Nintendo game. Forward Mortiz Wagner mentioned that Pokémon was Anthony's game, and when Anthony stepped up to the plate, he did not disappoint, getting all of his guesses correct.
Anthony, 23, told ESPN that he has been a fan of the game, created in 1996, his whole life.
When he was growing up, he used to make trips to Detroit to visit his grandparents. They had a family friend who had a Game Boy Color.
It was the first game Anthony ever played.
"I was playing Pokémon Yellow on the Game Boy Color," Anthony told ESPN. "That was an old system; [there's] no backlighting on this. To play the game in the car, I had to turn the light on just so I [could] see."
As a professional athlete whose life often revolves around his sport, having hobbies and outside interests is vital for Anthony to maintain a balance.
"My life is like 90% basketball," Anthony said. "Obviously, I have my family and stuff, but if I wasn't playing Pokémon, I might just be all basketball. So, Pokémon is that other part of me."
this is @The_ColeAnthony's game fr 💯 #PokemonDay pic.twitter.com/VsweLedPos
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) February 27, 2024
Although Pokémon remains a popular game for the rest of the world, Anthony said he doesn't know of any other NBA players who are into it, other than Magic guard Gary Harris. Philadelphia 76ers star Tobias Harris is another player who has been vocal about his affinity for the game.
"He rocks with it a little bit," Anthony said of Gary Harris. "He's talked to me saying he was considering getting a Pokémon tattoo, and I said, 'That's dope.'"
To show off his appreciation for Pokémon, Anthony revealed several unique Adidas Exhibit A Mid player edition sneakers featuring different characters from the Nintendo game.
Mutual friends connected him to custom sneaker designer Andrew Nasti, who made him a few pairs just out of his own volition.
"Homie made those and I was like 'These are hard, I'll definitely rock 'em,'" Anthony said. "He's made me a pair I still have at the crib, actually. I'm sure he'll make me a few more pairs in the future, but those joints are super dope, and it all worked out because people loved them."
While there are over 1,000 Pokémon to choose from, Anthony said his personal favorite is Dragonite.
"I can't tell you exactly why, I just think he's real cool," Anthony said. "He's a powerful Pokémon, and it's something about [Generation] One."
Among the Pokémon fanbase, there's a raging debate over the old- and new-school Pokémon. Anthony said he's a fan of all types.
"I'm going to keep it a buck, I think there are some really cool new [generation] Pokémon," Anthony said. "I think people get caught up a lot of the time saying, 'Generation One is the original so it's better.'"
Anthony said although he doesn't travel with any specific Pokémon cards, he does bring his games and Nintendo Switch.
"I carry two Nintendo DS that I keep with me, two 3DS, so I have every Pokémon game on the DS," Anthony said.
Trading Pokémon cards is an integral part of the gaming culture.
While he hasn't specifically sold any cards himself, Anthony exchanged game-worn shoes with a young fan for an original fossil Pokémon pack from 20 years ago.
Anthony said he talked with the fan's father who told him that the boy had made honor roll for two years in order to earn the pack. Anthony felt that he should give it back, but the fan's father said the shoes are better.
"But I'm going to hook the little homie up," Anthony said.
The Pokémon franchise expanded to other platforms and games such as Pokémon Go in 2016. The game went viral for its interactive ability that allowed fans to hunt for Pokémon using real-life locations.
Anthony said thanks to his little brother, he's a devotee of the game.
"I be playing the Pokémon Go battle league, I be doing raids, I be out there searching for Pokémon," Anthony said. "I'm a fiend for that, that's my game."
Though the four-year guard has had a strong start to his NBA career, Anthony said he would jump at the opportunity to have a profession in Pokémon and Nintendo following his career.
"That would be a dream come true, if possible," Anthony said.