Space Jam: A New Legacy will reunite viewers with the Looney Tunes and will see these characters joining forces with LeBron James, but he’s not the only basketball player joining this new adventure – here are the other NBA and WNBA stars set to appear. The Looney Tunes have been involved in all types of trouble and adventures since their debut in the 1930s, but none can compare to what they went through in the 1996 movie Space Jam. Directed by Joe Pytka, Space Jam mixed two universes unlikely to cross paths in the real world: the Looney Tunes and professional basketball.
Space Jam told a fictionalized account of what happened in Michael Jordan’s career between his retirement from the NBA in 1993 and his return in 1995. During that time, he was enlisted by the Looney Tunes to help them win a basketball game against a group of aliens called Monstars, who wanted to enslave Bugs Bunny and company and use them as attractions for their theme park. Now, a bit over two decades later, comes a proper sequel titled Space Jam: A New Legacy, with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James leading the Tune Squad and with the team facing a new menace in a completely different setting than in the first movie.
In this new adventure, LeBron and his son Dom (Cedric Joe) will find themselves trapped in Seververse, a virtual space ruled by a rogue A.I. named AI-G Rhythm (Don Cheadle). In order to rescue his son and return home safely, LeBron will lead Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the Tune Squad in a basketball match against Rhythm’s digitized champions, named the Goon Squad. Just like in Space Jam, the opposing team is modeled after real-life basketball stars, but unlike what the Monstars did in the original movie, Rhythm and company won’t steal their talent, and will instead create these powered-up virtual avatars based on real NBA and WNBA players and using their nicknames and most notable skills to build the best team. Here’s every basketball player confirmed to appear in Space Jam: A New Legacy besides LeBron James.
Anthony Davis as The Brow
Anthony Davis lends his voice (and image) to The Brow, a member of the Goon Squad and whose name is a reference to his famous unibrow and his trademark sayings “Fear The Brow” and “Raise The Brow”. All players in this team are a human/animal/android hybrid, and The Brow has the appearance of a harpy, a Greek mythology creature that is half-human and half-bird. Anthony Davis was drafted as the first overall pick in 2012 by the New Orleans Pelicans and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019, meaning he’s one of LeBron’s teammates, and together they led the team to their 17th championship in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Damian Lillard as Chronos
Damian Lillard voices Chronos, a golden speedy robotic member of the Goon Squad with big gears on his upper left arm that look like the inside of a clock. The name of the character is a reference to Lillard’s nickname “Dame Time”, as when he’s ready to go on beast mode, he points to his wrist to make a statement. Lillard was drafted by Portland in the 2012 NBA Draft and has played for the Portland Trail Blazers ever since, becoming one of two players in franchise history to become a six-time All-Star. Lillard’s Chronos is the Goon Squad member Granny goes “old school” on at the end of the trailer for Space Jam 2.
Diana Taurasi as White Mamba
Diana Taurasi voices White Mamba, a Goon Squad member with the appearance of a Nāga, a half-human half-serpent creature that looks quite intimidating. Taurasi was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft and has played for the Phoenix Mercury ever since. She’s considered one of the greatest female basketball players of all time, with her performance on the court and her penchant for scoring in crucial situations earning her the nickname “White Mamba”, given to her by none other than the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant.
Klay Thompson as Wet-Fire
Klay Thompson’s role in Space Jam 2 is that of Wet-Fire, a Goon Squad member who has the power of both water and fire, which can be briefly seen in the trailer (and are so impressive he made Daffy Duck's jaw drop). He was drafted by Golden State in 2011 and has stayed with the Golden State Warriors ever since. Thompson is credited as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and his performance on the court alongside Stephen Curry has earned them the nickname “the Splash Brothers”, referring to their ability to “splash” the net with the ball and which is referenced in his Goon Squad name.
Nneka Ogwumike as Arachnneka
Nneka Ogwumike voices Arachnneka, that Toon Squad member with the appearance of a (very dangerous) spider. Ogwumike was drafted in the 2012 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, her team to this day. Her character being a human/spider hybrid isn’t a reference to any nickname she might have, but it might be a way to show her skills on the court, as all those extra arms will allow Arachnneka to shoot, block, and grab rebounds quite easily. Her older sister, Chiney Ogwumike, also a player for the Los Angeles Sparks, is rumored to have a cameo appearance in the movie, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet by the studio. However, given the family vibe of Space Jam: A New Legacy, it wouldn’t be surprising if Chiney shows up.
