NBA athletes are superstars and wizards on the basketball court. But put them in a movie, and they become like you or I: amateurs. But that hasn’t stopped NBA stars from trying - and failing - to make it big on Hollywood. Late January, Ball or Die wrote about what NBA superstars made up which Hollywood superstars. Now, let’s take a look a look at the extremely mixed history when some of those NBA players tried to cross over.
The Good //
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Perhaps the best cameo is Abdul-Jabbar’s turn as Roger Murdock in “Airplane,†the co-pilot of the troubled flight in the Zuckers brothers classic comedy. From the flawless execution of the “Roger, Roger†schtick, to his sudden break of character after a little prodding from a bratty kid, Abdul-Jabbar brought humor in an already laughter-filled flick. Well done. He also had a cameo as an opponent of Bruce Lee’s in “Game of Death.†Lee definitely knew how to stack the odds against him to make his victory look all the more impressive.
Wilt Chamberlain. A 7-foot-tall warrior in “Conan the Destroyer� Not a stretch for Chamberlain, who had commanded an imposing presence on and off the court. As Bombatta, bodyguard to Princess Jehnna, Chamberlain was required to look intimidating, and fortunately, speak little. Sure, the movie is pale sequel to the awesome original, but Chamberlain didn’t screw up what was a fairly simple role.
Shaquille O’Neal. One of the most prolific actors on this list, this is just the first time Shaq makes his appearance here. He, along with Penny Hardaway, made convincing turns as ringer athletes in “Blue Chips,†holding his own alongside Nick Nolte. O’Neal actually brought a lot to the performance, and didn’t play it out stereotypically. Unfortunately, this is the high mark in his Hollywood resume.
Rick Fox. Another profilic actor, it’s no wonder he stuck around as a Los Angeles Laker for so long. He’s had roles in various movies, include “Blue Chips†with Shaq, and more recently in Tyler Perry’s “Meet The Browns.†He’s like the ambulance-chasing lawyer of basketball actors. When you need a handy basketball player for a movie role, Fox is your man.
Ray Allen. Jesus Shuttleworth. The name alone has to give him some cred on this list. But add to it direction by Spike Lee, the presence of Denzel Washington and you had a pretty good vehicle for Allen.
The Bad //
Michael Jordan. The King of basketball tried to conquer Hollywood. Alas, it was not to be. “Space Jam†was his big movie role, built around himself and the Looney Toons characters. It wasn’t bad per se, and was quite successful financially. It just wasn’t the movie that sticks with you longer than a few minutes after walking out the theaters. It was harmless and bland, but for a guy who has the weight of a multi-billion-dollar sports empire on his shoulders, who can blame him for playing it safe?
George Muresan. Nevermind the ludicrus premise of the movie, this was just a bad role for a bad player. It’s often used as the butt of any jokes involving Billy Crystal’s career. Unfortunately, Muresan faded away even faster.
John Salley, Rick Fox, Malik Sealy, Mark Jackson, Gary Payton. “Eddie†had a cast of several NBA players, but their performances were marred by some a lame movie with a lame premise. Although given the rein of Isiah Thomas, maybe Whoopi Goldberg would’ve done a better job. Most of the players oversold their roles, and were unremarkable. Except Dwayne Schintzius, who played Russian giant Ivan Radovadovitch. “Ivan take charge!†It’s so bad, it’s funny.
Allan Houston. You’ve got this deep movie about the clashes that erupt when white high school teens tried to hang with a black hip-hop crowd in “Black and White.†Then you’ve got Houston in a really odd cameo that you’ve got to do a double-take on to make sure it’s him. At least he - SPOILER ALERT - dies in the movie.
Darius Miles. Okay, perhaps bad is a little harsh. His performance as a high school basketball player desperate to get the answers to the SATs in “The Perfect Score†was convincing enough, but he was forgettable in the role. Of course, it’s hard to criticize a movie with Scarlett Johansson and Erika Christensen.
And The Ugly //
Shaquille O’Neal. How low can a player get? Shaq followed up a decent performance in “Blue Chips†with “Kazaam.†I know he was desperate to do movies, but I hope the agent that recommended that role was tarred and feathered. His love of comic books led him to take on his next role in “Steel,†another stinker that was D.O.A. One tip-off that something about the “Steel†character that was off? A leather helmet. He hasn’t had a substantial role since. Although you have to give it to the guy, at least he wasn’t playing another basketball player.
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