10 Famous Basketball Players That Were In Space Jam 1 & 2

Space Jam: A New Legacy print logo by Warner Bros. Pictures – Wikimedia commons

10 Famous Basketball Players That Were In Space Jam 1 & 2

The first Space Jam movie debuted in 1996 with the sequel coming out in 2021 and it involves comedy, animation and live-action. Space Jam’s 1996 plot revolved around an alien amusement park owner who sent his minions dubbed the Monstars, to capture the Looney Tunes characters to bring them back to his park as an attraction. The Looney Tunes however challenged the Monstars to a basketball match to save themselves.

Space Jam 2 also known as A New Legacy serves as the Sequel to the first instalment of Space Jam 1 and was released in 2021, more than twenty years later since the first instalment of Space Jam was released. Space Jam 2 involves live-action and animated sports comedy.

Many characters were involved in making the two movies a success with the characters not only including professional actors but also NBA players! With their contribution and how the movies performed, it is right to commend the enormous acting talents these players possessed alongside their playing capabilities hence creating a lethal combination. Let us find out 10 famous basketball players that were in Space Jam 1 & 2.

1. Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan photo by El Gráfico – Wikimedia commons

Michael Jordan is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. He starred in the NBA for fifteen seasons, and while playing for the Chicago Bulls, he captured six NBA titles. Basketball player Michael Jordan plays a fictionalized version of himself in the movie Space Jam. It was a commercial choice. According to all accounts, Michael’s agent, David Falk, was the inspiration for Space Jam. Jordan and Bugs had already appeared together in a 1992 Super Bowl commercial for Nike, and Falk had the brilliant idea to turn that 30-second spot into a full-length movie. Although the movie garnered negative reviews, it was a box office hit, grossing $230 million globally and bringing in more than $1 billion from product sales.

Related: Top 10 Remarkable Facts about Michael Jordan

2. LeBron James

LeBron James photo by All-Pro Reels – Wikimedia commons

LeBron James plays for the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA as a professional basketball player. He is regarded as one of the all-time best basketball players. James ranks fourth in career assists and is the all-time top scorer in the NBA. He has participated in 10 NBA Finals and won four NBA championships—two with the Miami Heat, one with the Los Angeles Lakers, and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He participated in the highly ranked Space Jam 2, which featured basketball player LeBron James playing a fictional version of himself.

The story revolves around LeBron James and his son Dom as they become stranded in virtual reality. LeBron must join forces with the Looney Tunes Squad and win a basketball game against an algorithm to escape.

Also Read: 30 Best High School Basketball Players of all time

3. Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley in 2008 photo by Gallery 2 Images – Wikimedia commons

Former professional basketball player Charles Barkley spent 16 seasons with three different teams in the National Basketball Association (the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets). Although he was smaller than the average power forward, he made up for it with muscle and aggression to become one of the NBA’s best rebounders. He portrayed himself in the Space Jam movie in 1996. He co-starred in 1996 originally with the likes of Michael Jordan and he has once more stated that he is not interested in the sequel although the sequel came out.

4. Muggsy Bogues

Muggsy Bogues photo by The Chronicle – Wikimedia commons

The shortest player to ever compete in the National Basketball Association was Muggsy Bogues, a former basketball player who played for 14 seasons in the NBA. Throughout his 14-season NBA career, Bogues played point guard for four different clubs. He played for the Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, and Toronto Raptors in addition to the Charlotte Hornets, for whom he spent his first ten NBA seasons. In six consecutive seasons (1989-1995), Bogues finished in the top seven in assists and the top ten in steals. His NBA double-double total was 146. Bogues made an appearance in the 1996 film Space Jam as one of five NBA players (along with Charles Barkley) whose skills are taken by the villainous Monstars.

Read More: 15 Shortest but Awesome Basketball Players in the History of the NBA

5. Shawn Bradley

L-R: Former U.S. basketball players Elden Campbell, Shawn Bradley, Rushia Brown, and Tom Gugliotta posing with a U.S. marine sergeant. photo by Dustin Senger – Wikimedia commons

Shawn Bradley stands 7’6″ and is regarded as one of the NBA’s tallest players. Shawn Bradley utilized his height to challenge shots and control the ball on defence throughout his career. On offence, he utilized his height and athleticism to finish effectively around the basket. Bradley’s height became a significant asset for him in the NBA allowing him to establish himself as a dominant force on the court. Bradley had a role in the film Space Jam in 1996, depicted as one of the NBA stars who lose their talent alongside Muggsy Bogues, Larry Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Patrick Ewing.

6. Patrick Ewing 

President Reagan with Patrick Ewing and John Thompson posing for the cover of Sports Illustrated photo sourced from Wikimedia commons

Patrick Ewing is a Jamaican-American basketball coach and former NBA player who spent the majority of his career as the starting centre for the New York Knicks. Ewing made his decision to play at Georgetown for his college career. Ewing’s four-year college career is widely regarded as one of the most successful in college history.

Before concluding his playing career with brief stints with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic, he spent the majority of his career as the starting centre for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association. The New York Knicks’ success in the 1990s was significantly attributed to Ewing, who is recognized as one of the game’s best centres of all time. Ewing played himself as one of five NBA players whose skill was stolen in the 1996 film Space Jam (along with Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Larry Johnson, and Muggsy Bogues).

7. Larry Johnson

Larry Johnson photo by Bryan Horowitz – Wikimedia commons

Larry Johnson is a former professional basketball player from the United States who played power forward for the National Basketball Association’s Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks throughout his career. Johnson was honoured by the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. In the film Space Jam, he played himself. Together with Patrick Ewing, Muggsy Bogues, Shawn Bradley, Charles Barkley, and Muggsy Bogues, he was one of the NBA superstars who had their skills taken by the Villainous Monstars. 

8. Anthony Davis 

Anthony Davis  photo by Erik Drost – Wikimedia commons

Anthony Davis plays Center and Power forward position for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. Davis has been selected to four NBA First Teams and four NBA All-Defensive Teams. He has been an eight-time NBA All-Star. He won the 2020 NBA Finals during his inaugural campaign with the Lakers. Among all-time power forwards, Davis is recognized as one of the best. He plays The Brow in Space Jam 2, a blue Goon Squad member and a representation of Davis with prehensile wings resembling those of a bald eagle in place of arms. Davis’s moniker serves as the inspiration for the character’s name.

9. Damian Lillard 

Damian Lillard photo by Erik Drost – Wikimedia commons

Professional basketball player Damian Lillard plays for the National Basketball Association’s Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard won the NBA Rookie of the Year award after being drafted by Portland as the sixth overall choice in the 2012 NBA draft. The first player in Trail Blazers franchise history to receive selected to the NBA All-Star seven times and All-NBA Teams six times. Lillard is known as “Dame Time” for his penchant for making clutch baskets. In Space Jam 2, he played Chronos, a gold robotic Goon Squad member and Lillard’s time-bending avatar. Lillard’s moniker “Dame Time” served as inspiration for the character.

10. Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson photo by Keith Allison – Wikimedia commons

Klay Thompson plays basketball professionally for the National Basketball Association’s Golden State Warriors. He won four NBA championships with the Warriors, was selected to five NBA All-Star games, twice made the All-NBA Third Team, and once made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Also, he has won gold medals with the American national team on their Olympic and World Cup squads from 2016 and 2014, respectively. On Space Jam 2, Klay plays Wet-Fire, an elemental member of the Goon Squad and Thompson’s avatar.

On Space Jam 2, Klay plays Wet-Fire, an elemental member of the Goon Squad and Thompson’s avatar. He has aquakinetic and pyrokinetic powers in each of his two forms, making him akin to Hydro-Man and the Human Torch, and he can combine those powers, as when he gave a fiery thumb up while in his water form. The nickname “Splash Brothers” given to the basketball duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson served as inspiration for the character. The water powers stand in for his ability to make three-point shots, while the fire powers stand for his willingness to play aggressively.