5 Hilarious Movies That Feature NBA Stars In Prominent Roles!

Athletes are smooth on the court, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be smooth on screen too.

In fact, several athletes have made appearances in various films/TV shows!

I remember seeing NBA stars Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, and Kevin Love making brief appearances on Disney shows back in the day.

You may think a brief cameo is not all that fancy, but believe me when I say some athletes have had bigger roles to hone their acting skills!

With that, here are some films which featured athletes playing a major role!

1. Trainwreck (2015)

Magazine writer Amy Townsend (Amy Schumer) is not ready to board the love train. After being tasked with composing a profile on doctor Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), things start to change. What was initially something for work turns a bit blurrier as Amy and Aaron see the undeniable sparks fly between them.

At this point, you may be wondering how a potential love story could feature athletes. Well, it just so happens Aaron’s close buddy and confidante is none other than NBA superstar LeBron James! The Lakers star makes several appearances throughout the film and dishes out comedy left and right! As good a player as he is, LeBron’s acting skills are something to admire too!

2. Uncle Drew (2018)

Based on the "Uncle Drew" YouTube videos posted by Pepsi, the film version released in 2018 and stars Brooklyn Nets superstar Kyrie Irving.

In the film, a basketball team manager named Dax Winslow (Lil Rel Howery) is simply looking for players to fill out his team and give him a chance to win the huge Rucker Classic tournament. The helpless man is pointed in the direction of the legendary Uncle Drew (Kyrie Irving), an old man with gray hair who can still ball out. On a side note, Kyrie Irving plays a guy who is more than twice his actual age!

After reaching an agreement that guarantees Drew will be on Dax’s team, the duo heads on a journey to convince Drew’s old teammates (a bunch of other old guys) to come play in the tournament. Wait, how do these old guys stand a chance against more athletic, young, and skilled players in the tournament?!

Well, it just so happens that Drew’s former teammates are all former NBA players in real-life! Watch as Dax and Uncle Drew drive all over the country in an old orange van as they try to convince Shaquille O’Neal, Nate Robinson, Reggie Miller, and Chris Webber to join their team!

The film also features appearances by athletes such as Lisa Leslie, Steve Nash, Dikembe Mutumbo, Jerry West, and more.

3. Space Jam (1996) / Space Jam 2 (2021)

The first Space Jam movie was released in 1996 and featured the iconic Michael Jordan. The film centered around the Looney Tunes characters recruiting Jordan to play a basketball game against the evil Mr. Swackhammer’s (Danny DeVito) sidekicks, the Nerdlucks.

The sequel is the only film on this list yet to release. Unlike Trainwreck, Space Jam 2 will feature Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James as the lead, and the sequel has been in talks for roughly five years before finally beginning production in June 2019. James is also a producer for the film.

The number of prominent NBA and WNBA players set to appear in the film is eye-popping to say the least! LeBron’s teammates Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma, Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard, Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul, and WNBA players Chiney Ogwumike, Nneka Ogwumike, and Diana Taurasi are all in the lineup of players slated to pop-up on the screen throughout the film!

No exact plotline is confirmed yet, but the film will feature Looney Tunes characters like the first film. Space Jam 2 will hit theaters July 16, 2021.

4. Grown Ups 2 (2013)

The sequel to the comedy Grown Ups, this film featured four comedic actors (Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade) whose characters were getting ready for summertime in their hometown.

Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal played a big role in this film as a goofy cop who was seen dancing, sleeping, and barely taking his job seriously. The tall man was a breath of fresh air and his presence was a slam dunk for the film’s overall comedy.

O’Neal also had a voice role in the 2018 film Show Dogs, along with starring in Uncle Drew as mentioned before.

5. Thunderstruck (2012)

Oklahoma teen Brian Newall (Taylor Gray) is not the most skilled basketball player. After failing to make a half-court shot (by a lot) at an Oklahoma City Thunder game, Brian gets a chance to meet his idol, NBA star Kevin Durant, as he heads back to his seat. (Keep in mind that Durant was with the Thunder in 2012 as opposed to being on the Brooklyn Nets now.)

As Durant signs the dejected fan’s basketball, an electric moment occurs, which is the NBA superstar’s basketball prowess being transferred to the teen!

Now, Brian’s basketball abilities suddenly become off the charts, and the motivated and confident teen emphatically makes his school basketball team, becoming the star player and gaining mass credibility and popularity. While Brian is basking in his newfound fame, Durant is struggling on the NBA court with the teen’s lack of basketball talent, something he cannot shake off. As Durant’s slump continues, his sneaky agent tries to scout the culprit and believes teenage Brian may have something to do with it.

It’s a race against time as Durant looks to regain his thunder just in time to help OKC qualify for the playoffs!

What do you think of athletes bringing their talents to the big screen? Would you watch their films?