The 5 NBA stars we think should appear with LeBron James in basketball film 'Space Jam 2'
'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler is also on board, so we're expecting big things from the sequel to the 1996 Michael Jordan movie
King James is spreading his wings and soaring to Hollywood.In 1996, one of basketball’s greatest stories unfolded on screen through the help of legendary basketball superstar Michael Jordan and animation’s hall of fame star, Bugs Bunny. Space Jam (1996) follows MJ as he teams up with Bugs and the other Looney Tunes to stop the Monstars, terrifying aliens intent on enslaving them for all eternity. Fast-forward 22 years: it’s just been announced that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is going to be playing for the Tune Squad in Space Jam 2. With Ryan Coogler, director of record-breaking Black Panther, producing the new movie, there are high hopes for a new cinematic extravaganza.
According to the official announcement photo released on Instagram, Bugs Bunny will be the starting point guard (no surprise there), with Bron Bron slotted into the Small Forward position. We expect to see the rest of the roster filled with the best of the Looney Tunes - Daffy Duck and Tweety Bird were memorable in the first film - will fill up the rest of the roster, but what about the Monstars? In the first movie, the Monstars were created when small aliens stole the talent from some famous NBA players.
Assuming they need superplayer powers again this time, we’ve put together a list of the top five players the Monstars should consider stealing from.
Point Guard: Kyrie Irving
LeBron’s ex-teammate, Kyrie Irving will fit perfectly into this position: being one of the best in the league and the leader of the Boston Celtics should guarantee him the ball handling position. Many saw his spilt from LeBron as a way to prove that he was a superstar himself, and could lead a team to championship status King James’ help. What's more, Irving already has movie experience, having starred in this year’s Uncle Drew.
Shooting Guard: Russell Westbrook
Even though Russell Westbrook plays as a point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunders, the fact that his nickname is Westbeast should be an indication of his abilities in other positions. His aggressive, even mean play style perfectly embodies the Monstars’ attitude, so his powers will definitely be desirable; the Monstars will love that he does not back down from anyone, no matter their size.
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Small Forward: Kevin Durant
How can Kevin Durant not be in this movie? After all, he is one of LeBron James’s biggest rivals: for the past two NBA Finals, it has been KD’s Golden State Warriors versus King James’ Cleveland Cavaliers. Seeing as he led his team to victory both times, the Monstars will surely need his super powers to bring down LeBron. To make it even more likely: he's almost an exact body double for Blanko, the tall, lanky, blue alien.
Power Forward: Kristaps Porzingis
New York lives and breathes basketball, so the Monstars would definitely go to the Big Apple to look for hoops talent. The New York Knicks is one of the NBA’s most recognisable franchises and as the new face for this team, Kristaps Porzingis is a perfect target. The Unicorn, as he is known, is also part of the next generation of NBA superstars, so it would be nice to shine some light on the league’s future stars and prospects.
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Centre: Joel Embiid
Speaking of prospects, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers should be the talk of the town. Or, rather, the film. There is no question about his ability to play the centre position, shutting down anyone who has ever doubted him for the past two years. His charismatic personality can be seen through his interviews and social media, making him ideal for a starrying role, not to mention his insane social media following would only help promote the movie around the world.