Getty Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James’ Space Jam 2 launches July 16, 2021.
Space Jam 2 is the sequel to the Michael Jordan starred Space Jam that starred Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck and names in sports and Hollywood like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Muggsy Bogues, Bill Murray, Danny Devito Shawn Bradley and Larry Bird.
LeBron James’ Space Jam 2 trailer was supposed to happen like this… – t.co/0uoWyfcGtd
James confirmed during NBA All Star Weekend that he and his SpringHill Entertainment would begin filming the project this summer.
In September it was announced that Black Panther director Ryan Coogler signed on to produce the Space Jam sequel. Terence Nance will be directing the film, in which James is set to star.
Billion dollar question: What NBA players are in the movie?
Conventional wisdom would tell you that James’ current NBA pals Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul would star in it.
What about Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant?
One retired NBA player has put in his bid to be in the film: Charles Oakley.“I would love to do it,” Charles Oakley told me.
“I love the part with Mike, it was just great. I would love to be around him for a week or two.”
To quote the late great Brooklyn lyricist The Notorious B.I.G: If you don’t know, now you know: Oakley was actually in the first Space Jam film with Jordan. He starred as himself as a member of the New York Knicks in an exhibition game against Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns.
Check It Out For Yourself.
“Being in Space Jam 1 and seeing how things went, you would never know what would happen while you were doing Space Jam,” Oakley told me.
“We got to play basketball everyday on the court, and it was so much fun.”
Oakley is also friends with James and said it too guts to re-make the iconic Space Jam film. “I’m glad he was tough enough to do it,” he said.
“ I don’t know why he would do something Mike did, but you gotta do what make you go”
No shade thrown. Oakley, a native of Cleveland, Ohio says he first met James, a native of Akron, Ohio when he was in high school. He and James have been friends ever since. “When you look at him, he’s the same size he was back then,” Oakley said of James.
“He didn’t grow too much. We were in Chicago and you know we were, he wanted to play but he was too young but he was ready for the game. When he saw all the other stars in the gym while he was still in high school, it didn’t phase him.”
LeBron James’ Space Jam 2 is still going on as scheduled, I’m told this afternoon.
Being from Cleveland, Oakley spoke glowingly of how James handled the pressure of winning a champinship in 2016 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. “When LeBron came back before, it felt great to see him give the city some love, something to cheer about,” he told me.
“They were mad when he left. I wasn’t, he was there for six, seven years. You didn’t approve the team, what do you want him to do? You kept him for five years when he signed for three. What did you expect him to do? The most important thing is he never asked to be traded and he wasn’t under contract. So anytime he went somewhere, he was courageous.”
As for Space Jam 2. For those tardy to the party, Space Jam 2 has been in the works for a while.
In June 2018, I reported via Basketball Society reported that LeBron James would announce his decision to join the Los Angeles Lakers via free agency utilizing his Uninterrupted platform, Instagram TV and a Space Jam 2.
It was cancelled.
The plot for the trailer, I’m told was surrounded sports memorabilia stolen by characters in the film.
I discussed it on ESPN Radio here wish Dashawn Hendricks and Josh Hennig
In the plot and/or trailer, LeBron was summoned to be responsible for saving the day by helping to retrieve the memorabilia.
I’m told that in the end, LeBron James would appear in the movie trailer wearing Lakers gear and letting everyone know where he’d be taking his talents to this fall.
Well, the film is on the way. Stay tuned!