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“Michael Jordan didn’t need a stunt double but LeBron James does?”: NBA fans criticize the Lakers superstar for having another professional basketball player impersonate him in Space Jam 2

Samir Mehdi
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“Michael Jordan didn’t need a stunt double but LeBron James does?”: NBA fans criticize the Lakers superstar for having another professional basketball player impersonate him in Space Jam 2

LeBron James was played by Zach Andrews in Space Jam: A New Legacy and he served as his stunt double for the entirety of the movie.

Despite being booted from the 2021 NBA Playoffs in merely the first round, LeBron James was still the talk of the basketball world well into summer. This was due to the fact that his newest venture out in TinselTown, Space Jam: A New Legacy, dropped on the 16th of July, leading many NBA fans and a couple analysts alike in disarray.

Fans compared James’s ‘magnum opus’ to the original, 1996 Space Jam at great length, eventually divulging into the ‘GOAT’ debate. Michael Jordan was even referenced several times during the movie with subtle nods and a gag at halftime of the final game where ‘Creed’ actor, Michael B. Jordan, comes out instead.

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LeBron James however, tried to make the movie his own as best as he could. Unfortunately for him, NBA Twitter is relentless at its mission to downplay his success by bringing up what Jordan’s done.’

NBA Twitter combusts following the revelation that LeBron James had a stunt double.

A picture recently surfaced of another 6’8 man arm-in-arm with LeBron James on the set of Space Jam 2, with the two wearing James’s outfit from the movie. It’s obvious that this man, who’s identified to be Zac Andrews, was the Lakers superstar’s stunt double for the film.

It’s safe to say that NBA fans on social media were not too pleased with the fact that the ‘King’ was not the one leaping 20 feet into the air to dunk the ball through the hoop. As expected, these same fans managed to bring Michael Jordan’s name into the conversation as well.

Also read: “If LeBron James saw that outfit he would’ve picked Russell Westbrook last”: When Charles Barkley roasted the new Lakers star’s fashion sense at NBA All-Star Weekend 2018

Jordan truthers like the fans shown above can take solace in the fact that Space Jam 1996 was rated much higher, both audience and critics reviews, than 2021’s sequel to the hoops classic.

LeBron James fans on the other hand, can rest easy knowing that their idol was done justice by a man who’s played professional basketball before and has a frame that is eerily similar to James’s

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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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.

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