“I loved Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes growing up”: LeBron James talks about what motivated him to star in Space Jam 2

Samir Mehdi | 07/03/2021
“I loved Michael Jordan and the Lonney Tunes growing up”: LeBron James talks about what motivated him to star in Space Jam 2

LeBron James says that he wanted to star in Space Jam 2 because he loved both Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes growing up. 

Whether it’s Lola Bunny’s less-than-stellar redesign or LeBron James’s ability (or inability) to live up to Michael Jordan’s performance in 1996’s Space Jam, Space Jam 2 has been the talk of the town for quite some time now.

Talks of a Space Jam sequel date all the way back to 1997, a mere year after the release and subsequent success of the original featuring Jordan. 

MJ however, declined the offer to star in a sequel to the film and the idea was shelved for nearly two decades. Warner Bros. Eventually got around to announcing that they had plans to produce the much-awaited sequel back in 2014, with LeBron James as the protagonist. 

Also Read: “Alex Caruso will get a $9.5 million offer from Lakers”: Brian Windhorst speculates where the future of the defensive specialist lies

Fast-forward 7 years and Space Jam 2 is a few months away from its worldwide release. To help promote the movie, LeBron James has been plastering images and short clips from the movie on all of his socials, while also having interviews concerning the movie. 

LeBron James describes what motivated him to carry on Michael Jordan’s Space Jam legacy

In a recent interview, LeBron James delved deep into why he wanted to make a return to the big screen with a movie like Space Jam. 

Also Read: “I literally got traded for you and a first rounder”: Larry Nance Jr. and Channing Frye have a hilarious Twitter exchange

“There were a lot of films for me, but Space Jam was definitely up there. Just growing up and loving the NBA, and obviously loving Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes, it was automatic and an organic blend between the two worlds.” 

LeBron James has made it very clear on several occasions that despite the constant comparisons and amidst all the ‘GOAT’ talk, he grew up idolizing Michael Jordan and was a fan of the 6x champ.

What better way to pay tribute to his basketball idol than to carry on his legacy not on NBA hardwood, but in TinselTown instead. 

Post Edited By: Amulya Shekhar
LeBron James Michael Jordan Space Jam

About the author

Avatar photo

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Don’t miss these