While the summer of 2019 for the Los Angeles Lakers will be chock full of free agent pitches as they look to add a superstar to the roster, LeBron James will be doing much of the same as filming of Space Jam 2 is set to kick off during the summer.
Many players have stated their desire to be included in the much-anticipated sequel and James’ list of interested players is going to be lengthy. Lonzo Ball is the latest to throw his name in the mix as he stated during an appearance on House of Highlights’ live show that he wants to be in the show.
The first Space Jam movie did not exactly consist of a who’s who of players (looking at you, Shawn Bradley) so Ball certainly has a case to be included on that premise alone.
But Ball is a legitimately funny person. His roasts of Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart are also funny and viewers of Ball in the Family will know that his deadpan delivery and humor style makes him a great candidate to appear on the sequel.
And, more than anything, James and Ball have developed a friendship during their time in Los Angeles. Ball is a popular player and would bring in an audience.
But in this scenario, James and Ball need more co-stars. The original movie had five NBA players in Mugsy Bogues, Charles Barkley, Larry Johnson, Patrick Ewing and Bradley. If Ball is taking the Bogues role, we need four more players…
Blake Griffin
There may not be a funnier NBA player in the league than Griffin. During his time in Los Angeles, his humor was on display in a bigger market and in the multiple commercials he has appeared in. On top of that, Griffin has actually performed a stand-up comedy routine.
Griffin is legitimately funny, not just funny for an athlete or an NBA player. He’s also a marketable player considering how many commercials he’s appeared in. He’s a face casual fans are familiar with.
The only problem could be that Griffin could be set for surgery this summer, which would hamper his ability to film depending on the extent of that surgery. But if healthy and available, Griffin should be the first call for James.
Steph Curry
From a global popularity standpoint, few players are more recognizable in today’s NBA landscape than Steph Curry. Curry hasn’t made an official silver screen debut aside from a cameo in Ballers on HBO. But he plays on the league’s most popular player and is the best player on said team.
More importantly, he has charisma and is a great role model for the league to promote. Fans from all backgrounds have taken a liking to Curry. He’s humble enough to make jokes at his own expense – see his Josh Hart-esque handshakes – and has a similar sense of humor to Ball.
It all rolls up to make him maybe the most obvious choice of any to include in the movie. He and James have a history with one another, including James defending him on Twitter against the President of the United States.
Plus, the aliens will certainly be targeting a player that can bury threes from their home planet anyway.
Joel Embiid
From a comedic standpoint, Joel Embiid is the funniest player in the league. He’s not quite as popular as Griffin and certainly not as much as Curry but he’s potentially the future of the league. He was a realistic MVP candidate this season even despite his injuries.
Off the court, he’s quickly becoming one of the more popular players in the league. Most recently, he quipped about the Warriors blown 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals during a post-game press conference.
Embiid could be the breakout character in this movie. He has the personality to be a terrific actor, willing to crack a joke and accept them in return. And he’d help fulfill the quota of way too many bigs to have an actually useful team that the Monstars went for last time.
Anthony Davis
Obviously, James and Rich Paul aren’t going to take such a huge opportunity and not bring in a Klutch client. And there isn’t a bigger Klutch client, figuratively and literally, than Anthony Davis.
Davis’ public image took a hit this year with the trade request from the Pelicans that was confounded by puzzling choice after puzzling choice for Davis. However, he’s still both one of the most underrated young players in the league and a Klutch client. He’s as good as gold in this movie.
With Davis, the five-man Monstars lineup would be Steph Curry, Lonzo Ball, Blake Griffin, Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis. From a practicality standpoint, it doesn’t make a ton of sense. But the original movie had five big men and Bogues so practicality isn’t important.
Do you agree with the selections? Let us know down below!
