Charles Barkley likes the idea of former boxer Butterbean playing him in the new Space Jam 2 movie, the former player and TNT analyst said today on ESPN's "Mike & Mike."
"I've gotten a few suggestions about who's gonna play me," Barkley said. "I thought by far and away, my friends said they were going to get Butterbean to play my part. So we’re having a lot of fun with who's going to play who, but one of my friends said they want to get Butterbean out of retirement to play me. I thought that was the funniest thing I've heard since the Space Jam 2 rumors."
Yes, it seems Space Jam 2 is finally happening. It’s not 100 percent solidified, but the deal is definitely in the works, and it seems all but a done deal. With LeBron James playing the protagonist, rumors have surrounded this sequel for years. Whether a follow-up film could ever do the 1996 original justice is debatable, and that’s probably why coordinating this sequel has stretched out for years.
Barkley played one of the NBA stars who lost his skills in the original Space Jam. In fact, Barkley's "Monstar" was undeniably the most dominant, and his fall from the NBA was the most heartbreaking. This playground basketball scene is possibly one of the saddest moments in cinematic history:
Butterbean—currently listed at 5-foot-11, 425 pounds—is well known for his size. With a 77-10 career professional boxing record, the 49-year-old was dominant in his heyday, but his legacy remains defined by his rotund figure.
Barkley currently weighs 251 pounds, and he has famously endorsed Weight Watchers—which helped him shed more than 40 pounds post-retirement—since 2011. His weight is a frequent joke on TNT's Inside The NBA, particularly with his good-humored co-host Shaquille O’Neal.
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