"I would play more basketball than baseball" - Dodgers' Mookie Betts reveals choosing hoops over America's favorite pastime as a youngster

LA Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts started playing baseball at a young age. But it wasn't the only sport he liked. Though Betts is not a tall figure, standing at 5-foot-9, he loved playing basketball, something he would prioritize in his early days even more than baseball, which is America's favorite pastime.

In Episode 28 of "On Base with Mookie Betts," he was in conversation with Dodgers' starter Jack Flaherty, discussing various things from clubhouse activities to on-field happenings. The two were posed a question on who would beat the other in a 1-on-1 basketball game. Betts felt he had the upper hand and even Flaherty gave the Dodgers slugger his nod.

"I was going to play in college [basketball] but they said I was going to get drafted," Betts said on his podcast. "I grew and I was missing baseball practice because I had bowling started at 3:30. So I would be done bowling by 5:30 or 6:00; the basketball game started at 7 and so I was getting in the car, driving to the game, and I was playing.

"I don't start playing baseball until I m done playing basketball. So I always started baseball a little bit behind. And if I don't have a bowling game, I would go hit in the cage and hang out," Betts added.

"So we made sure to schedule all of my bowling matches on basketball gamedays so I don't have to miss a basketball game. Even during the summer, I played more basketball than baseball." [45:19 o0nwards].

Mookie Betts' joins Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman for back-to-back sequence

Friday's game between the LA Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks started with a bang, with the 'Big 3' pulling off a back-to-back home run sequence to start the game 3-0 against Merrill Kelly in the first innings.

Shohei Ohtani, the leadoff hitter started the proceeding with a 420-foot homer followed by Mookie Betts and then finally Freddie Freeman chipped in to complete the sequence.

While the year started with Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani as prime contenders for the NL MVP award, down the stretch Betts missed many games after fracturing his arm in mid-June. He returned earlier this month but this time hitting behind Ohtani after starting the year on the leadoff spot.

The Dodgers' Big 3 will be crucial for a deep postseason run.