National Basketball Association

Korean Basketball League performs epic in-game Mannequin Challenge

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:24 p.m. ET

Fansided, Ian Levy/Fansided

The Korean Basketball League All-Star Game offers us an epic example of The Mannequin Challenge.

The Mannequin Challenge requires commitment. You have to stand perfectly still, no twitching, no sneezing, no blinking, while that one lucky person with the camera gets to pan around the collaborative, static masterpiece you’ve created with your co-workers. It’s no wonder that some of the best examples we’ve seen have come from professional athletes — they have the willpower and body control to handle the physical challenge, and the teamwork and camaraderie to pull it together.

Recently the All-Stars of the Korean Basketball League offered us a peak example of this mannequin art form, with an in-game exhibition. A terrible All-Star Game pull-up is attempted and then, suddenly, everything stops.

The coaches appear to be either frozen in anger, frozen in delight, or frozen because they’re in on the joke. Judging by the sloppy turnover-trading transition possessions that followed the challenge, I think it’s safe to assume that this was the highlight of the game.

I for one, would like to see the NBA All-Stars try something like this in February. They have the athletes and they have the showcase, might as well lean into the whole “creating a spectacle for fans thing.” We could even get each players acting out some piece of their basketball identity. Russell Westbrook frozen and staring daggers at the back of Kevin Durant’s head. Chris Paul sitting on the bench nursing an injury. James Harden not playing defense. DeMarcus Cousins in mock (actual) argument with a referee. Let’s talk to Steve Kerr and see if we can get this going, shall we?