Why Steph Curry Turned Down Space Jam 2 Role with LeBron James

The basketball world has been absolutely rejoicing in the release of the LeBron James-starrer, Space Jam: A New Legacy’s, trailer. With the majority of the fan-favorite Looney Toons back and a stacked star cast, the film seems to be a must-watch for NBA fans all around the world.

Just like Michael Jordan‘s 1996 classic, New Legacy also features a host of NBA stars. While the original featured players like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and Muggsy Bogues Space, the new installment is set to feature superstars from both the NBA and the WNBA.

Till now, Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Diana Taurasi, and Nneka Ogwumike have all been confirmed for significant screen time in the movie.

Steph Curry clarifies why he didn’t join LeBron James in Space Jam

While the new installment of Space Jam has a stacked star cast now, back in 2019, there were rumblings that LBJ was struggling to pin down other co-stars; one of the biggest names on this list was that of Steph Curry’s.

While Curry and Bron might be fierce competitors on the court, both the superstars have immense respect for one another off the court. So when rumors emerged about a possible Steph appearance in the new Space Jam movie, it seemed believable to say the least.

Given that the movie was being produced by a longtime Dubs’ fan, Ryan Coogler, it seemed like a matter of time before Curry agreed for the same. But to everyone’s surprise, the 2-time MVP rejected the opportunity.

Later, in an interview in 2019, Steph explained why he didn’t agree to the role and said, “I said no. The timing of it. I know LeBron and Ryan Coogler are going to be doing amazing things. It’s going to be awesome. Part of it was in terms of things that I had going on. It was just the timing, to be honest. Not being able to commit.”

A Curry and Bron matchup on the silver screen would have been a treat to everyone’s eyes. Given what fans saw on the court in the 2021 All-Star game, one could only imagine how epic the duo would have been in a movie.

Regardless of Curry’s absence, the Space Jam: A New Legacy trailer makes it seem like the movie will be a must-watch for everyone. Can this upcoming flick recreate the magic that the MJ-starrer had?