National Basketball Association

Previewing A Possible Cast For "Space Jam 2"

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; A fan sits atop a tree in front of the LeBron James mural during the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA championship parade in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James is set to star in “Space Jam 2.” What other NBA stars could fans see in a Space Jam sequel?

With LeBron James set to star in “Space Jam 2”, he’s recently moved into Warner Brothers Studios. The original “Space Jam”, starring Michael Jordan, featured Patrick Ewing, Muggsy Bogues, Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley and Larry Johnson.

LeBron James was pegged for “Space Jam 2” before “Space Jam” even announced plans to produce a sequel to the 1996 blockbuster film. In the original “Space Jam”, Jordan is a retired NBA star playing in the MLB. Jordan, when golfing with Bill Murray and Larry Bird, comes out of retirement involuntarily as Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes pull him through a hole in the golf course.

The reason why, as they explain, is because they’ve challenged a group of aliens to a game of basketball so that they don’t have to work for Swackhammer, the owner of a failing intergalactic amusement park, Moron Mountain. These aliens, the Nerdlucks, have stolen the talents of high-profile NBA stars and need the help of Michael Jordan, the best basketball player in the world.

Though he initially refused to help, he decides to aid the Looney Tunes and leads them to a sensational win against the Nerdlucks, who have transformed into a gigantic and talented basketball team with the accumulated talents of the great basketball players.

Jordan, however, with the help of Bill Murray and the Looney Tunes leads his team to victory and avoids having to play basketball for Swackhammer on Moron Mountain as entertainment, which was part of a revised deal that allowed Jordan to help the Looney Tunes play against the Monstars.

After winning, Jordan returns home and returns the talents of his basketball playing friends to them where they remark that Jordan must have lost his own skill to be so retired he won’t play a game of three-on-three basketball against them. Jordan, in a move that parallels his retirement and un-retirement, then returns to the Chicago Bulls to lead the team he had just won three straight NBA championships with.

A Space Jam sequel needs: a great plot, animated superstars, the greatest basketball player in the world, and great basketball players to team up with or against the greatest basketball player in the world. Seemingly, the ideas for “Space Jam 2” are coming along nicely, albeit slowly according to LeBron James. When it’s finally time to start filming, there are number of NBA stars who could be in line to co-star alongside James in a Space Jam sequel.

May 26, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in the fourth quarter in game five of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors won 120-111. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Point Guards

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook would be a natural fit in a Space Jam sequel, as the point guard is as Hollywood as it gets. With his swagger on-the-court and off it, Westbrook has the NBA’s attention despite playing in a small Oklahoma City market.

Westbrook is an ultra-aggressive hyper-athlete and the biggest triple-double machine since fellow point guard Oscar Robertson, “The Big O”. Westbrook looks to lead his team without Kevin Durant for this season and beyond after Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors this summer.

Over his career, Westbrook has averaged 28.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.4 assists in 61 games without Durant. After almost single-handedly leading his team into the playoffs in a competitive Western Conference, one that’s widely regarded as the tougher of the two NBA conferences, Westbrook becomes one of the few players in recent memory, joining superstars such as James Harden, LeBron James, and Allen Iverson, to put a team on their shoulders to single-handedly will his team to victory as the lone superstar on the team, and he could be poised for a LeBron James-like breakout season.

Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry has revolutionized the way the game of basketball is played. On the NBA, collegiate, and high school levels players shoot the ball from the logos and hashmarks on a regular basis because of the way Curry has shot the ball with ease from that range. Though, in all technicality, Curry plays a lot of bad basketball, he’s good at it.

Add in Curry’s mesmerizing handles to go along with his spectacular long-distance sniping and the Golden State Warriors point guard is as sensational to watch as any player the league has ever seen including Michael Jordan. Though this season Curry won’t be expected to score 30.1 points per game, the NBA knows he’s far more than capable of it.

Jun 22, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith (5) greets the crowd during the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA championship celebration in downtown Cleveland. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Shooting Guards

J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith can be summoned by any of a number of illustrious titles. “The Shirtless One”, “The Pipe”, “Team Swish”. Where Smith separates himself from other elite shooters is the swagger with which he lives his life off-the-court. Smith has shown a renewed focus on basketball and increased focus on his family yet still knows how to be the life of the party. In some ways, Smith is a role model for every professional athlete that wants to party, but also wants to be granted league-wide respect.

On-the-court, Smith is one of the top five catch-and-shoot three-point shooters in the NBA and has made at least 155 threes every season since 2012-13. Smith is a player who lives for one-on-one matchups and sometimes seems better when the shot is contested.

Off-the-court, Smith is an example of the idea if a player is a good guy and has his priorities in order then America doesn’t care too much about them going out to nightclubs. Smith went from Johnny Manziel to Rob Gronkowski in two years. He went from Sixth Man of the Year to starting beside LeBron James to becoming a NBA champion in two years as well. While his greed keeps him a free agent before the 2016-17 season, he may sign a deal to be in “Space Jam 2” first.

James Harden

James Harden is the best shooting guard in the NBA and has the type of skills a Monstar would be looking for. The lefty is a strong shooter from everywhere on the court. Harden is also an elite slasher with an ability to draw fouls at will or use a eurostep to perfection as he drives and looks very similar to one-third San Antonio Spurs longtime Big Three, Manu Ginobli, as he drives and dishes to open shooters on the perimeter.

Off-the-court, Harden has built a brand for himself as “The Beard” and playing in a big city like Houston, Texas only enhances his marketability. As one of the faces of Adidas, Harden represents a company that’s risen its net worth by 38 percent over the last year and is second only to Nike in the sporting goods industry.

Jan 14, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James (23) is defended by San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Small Forwards

Kawhi Leonard

As LeBron James pronounced him the player who defends him best, Kawhi Leonard has a clear role in “Space Jam 2” as the player or talent that makes life difficult for James on the basketball court.

The last five NBA Finals MVPs have either been LeBron James or the player who defended James the most. In the 2013 NBA Finals, Leonard averaged 14.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 0.4 steals per game. In the 2014 NBA Finals, Leonard averaged 17.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game and won Finals MVP.

It’s easy to imagine Leonard entering a scene in Space Jam 2 as a bionic basketball player who can lock up any player defensively and destroy them offensively while playing the game in complete and expressionless silence. In real life, that’s what Leonard does. It’s why the transition from Tim Duncan as face of the franchise to Leonard was so easy, the expression on the face never changed. Of course, James could become the face of the Spurs in a few years, joining Leonard.

Paul George

Paul George, after rebranding himself as PG13, has shown a new interest in marketing himself. In Indianapolis, George plays in a mid-sized market, but outside of consecutive playoff duels with LeBron James, George hasn’t had many, if any, big-time moments in his career.

Toppling a thriving Toronto Raptors squad in a first-round upset in the playoffs would have been big-time but instead George and Pacers team lost in a Game 7 elimination game. In that series, George averaged 27.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game.

Right now, Prince George is simply having the problem King James had against Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics. He’s a talented forward with a great shooting touch, leaping ability, and showmanship. A Monstar would only be doing Vince Carter dunks because of George.

Aug 18, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers players DeAndre Jordan (left), Blake Griffin (center) and Chris Paul at fan fest at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Power Forwards

Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin is blessed with the ability to jump out of the gym, but though Griffin regularly skies for dunks and lobs, what’s most impressive about him as a player is his continued improvement as a ball-handler, facilitator, and jump shooter.

Outside of his on-the-court ability, Griffin has a hilarious persona off-the-court. This can be seen in his commercials as well as a recent performance as a standup comic. Michael Jordan pegged Griffin to be the star of “Space Jam 2” instead of LeBron James, perhaps jokingly. Griffin is an amazing talent regardless of the gap between him and James’ basketball ability and belongs in Space Jam 2 in some capacity.

Kristaps Porzingis

Kristaps Porzingis, or “Godzingis” as his cult following likes to refer to him as, is a Latvian player who came to America pre-assimilated. Showing a comfort and affinity with not just the American culture, but the black American subculture as well, Porzingis has made himself fans quickly. On-the-court, the 7-foot-3 Porzingis has a great face-up game, advanced post moves and tremendous rim-protection. Though he’s only a second-year pro, Porzingis is one a handful of players with the persona, skill, and fan following to be a star in Space Jam 2.

Dec 7, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue (left), center DeAndre Jordan (6) and the Clippers bench react during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 88-82. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Center

Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis is a transcendent basketball talent who, at 22 years old, was almost able to post a 36-point quadruple double in a mid-March loss to the Denver Nuggets in 2015. In that March 15 contest, Davis had 36 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and nine blocks and shot 57.1 percent from the field. To boot, Davis made 10-of-16 field goals from outside the paint.

The athletic Davis has the chance to be the best power forward in the game, besting members of a small fraternity of elite power forwards that includes Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and Karl Malone. Davis can shoot from the outside, catch posterizing lobs over any player, protect the rim and with his experience as a point guard handle the ball and facilitate as well.

Off-the-court, “The Brow” has a brand, and starring in “Space Jam 2” would be the perfect opportunity for Davis to gain a larger fan following.

DeAndre Jordan

Jordan is a goofy jokester and defensive beast who blocks shots with as much emphasis as he catches lobs from Blake Griffin and point guard Chris Paul. In the original “Space Jam” film, Dallas Mavericks center Shawn Bradley was one of the five basketball players to get his talents taken by the Nerdluck aliens.

The 7-foot-6 Bradley wasn’t one of the most impressive scorers, or even rebounders, in the NBA at the time. However, he was one of the best shot cleaning artists with a block average that topped out at 3.6 blocks per game in the 1995-96 season. Jordan has been the most consistent shot-blocker in the NBA over the last three seasons. In terms of a basketball parallel to Bradley in the sequel, there’s no better option than Jordan.

There’s been no information on a possible plot for Space Jam 2 though there is a director for the film.

Watching LeBron James take on the Golden State Warriors over the last two years has seemed like a real-life version of a Space Jam movie with James leading Cleveland Cavaliers against a dominant and talented Western Conference superteam. The dunk James tried to make over Draymond Green at the end of Game 7 would have been a real-life parallel to Jordan’s game winning half-court dunk against the Monstars.