NBA players are renowned for their incredible athleticism and speed, but what about outside of the sport? LiAngelo Ball, the middle child between NBA stars LaMelo and Lonzo Ball, also tried to forge a path as a professional player, but he was never good enough and has taken an entirely new direction: He is now a star rapper who recently released “Tweaker.” The song quickly took the internet by storm, reaching over 19 million streams on Spotify in just two weeks.
On Jan. 13, LiAngelo signed a contract with the music label Def Jam for $13 million, with $8 million of it guaranteed. Def Jam has worked with many prominent names in the music industry like Jay-Z, Kanye West and Rihanna. While LiAngelo may not have achieved NBA stardom like his brothers, his success in music shows how athletes can pivot to other entertainment industries.
But not all athletes are meant for music, acting and most other performing arts.
Let’s use the two “Space Jam” movies to illustrate this point. The first “Space Jam,” released in 1996, features NBA legend Michael Jordan. Some say Jordan’s acting in the film was very bland and “deadpan,” while some say it contributed to the success of the film. Jordan, however, declined the offer to star in a second “Space Jam.”
Twenty five years later, in 2021, LeBron James starred in a reboot called “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” The reboot received many negative reviews, being criticized for its overly commercialized plot, poor character development, a lack of genuine humor, confusing animation styles and poor acting skills by James. All the reviews suggest James wasn’t meant to soar as an actor.
On the soundtrack of “Space Jam: A New Legacy” is another NBA star’s work, Bucks point guard Damian Lilliard, or Dame D.O.L.L.A. His song “About That Time” features in the movie, as well as his voice acting as the character Chronos. Neither comes across as truly professional.
Players like James, Lillard and Jordan built undeniable basketball legacies on the court, but their ventures into the performing arts have been underwhelming to say the least. Ultimately, this suggests most NBA athletes are better off focusing on what they do best — playing basketball.