From Basketball to Hollywood:10 NBA stars who appeared in movies

The NBA and Hollywood have an interesting connection with multiple top players venturing into the world of movies at some stage of their careers.

Over the years, a plethora of stars have been part of movies ever since the NBA became an intriguing sport in the eyes of the media. The players have shown their talents on and off the court in some style and have done tremendous jobs in their part-time roles as actors.

From Michael Jordan to LeBron James to Shaquille O'Neal, we list ten of the top players to ever appear in movies during or after the end of their NBA careers.

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Top 10 NBA Players who have acted in movies

#10 Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley

Former NBA MVP and player turned TV presenter Charles Barkley is one of the most famous personalities when it comes to television. He has featured in multiple movies like Forget Paris (1995), Space Jam (1996) and He Got Game (1998). The former Phoenix Suns talisman led the side to their second NBA Finals appearance in 1993, also winning his MVP award that season.

#9 Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard

3-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and one of the best centers in his prime, Dwight Howard was also one of the most popular names in the media at one stage in his career. The 2009 NBA All-Star Game's leading vote-getter appeared in multiple movies like Just Wright (2010), The Three Stooges (2012) and Free Birds (2013) in which he voiced a turkey.

#8 Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin

Once regarded as one of the best dunkers in the NBA, Blake Griffin has always been a popular name in the media. He has appeared on multiple reality shows on TV and has been seen on the big screen. He featured in the movie The Female Brain in 2017 and lent voice to The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021).

#7 Dennis Rodman

Dennis Rodman

Widely regarded as one of the most controversial NBA players of all time, Dennis Rodman was closely related to Hollywood, and without any surprises made several appearances on the big screen. He also had his own TV show called The Rodman World Tour and acted as the lead action films like Double Team (1997) and Simon Sez (1998).

#6 Kyrie Irving

Boston Celtics v Brooklyn Nets - Game Five

Kyrie Irving is one of the most followed NBA players on social media. He has often found himself in the spotlight due to multiple reasons and is constantly spoken of by the media. In 2018, he had his debut film 'Uncle Drew' released in which he played the title role of Uncle Drew, a character he had been playing since 2012 in Pepsi Max advertisements.

Irving was joined by multiple other former and current NBA players like Shaquille O'Neale, Reggie Miller and Aaron Gordon in the sports comedy film. The movie was shortlisted for best comedy movie in 2018 by the People's Choice Award.

#5 Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant was developing his stardom as one of the best players in the game in 2012 when his debut movie 'Thunderstruck' was released. He led the OKC Thunder to the NBA Finals as well that year, which they eventually lost to LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Durant played himself in that movie, which fell under the genre of a sports comedy.

#4 Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant

The late Kobe Bryant was highly talented and successful on and off the court. The five-time NBA Champion has appeared in multiple TV shows and movies in cameo roles.

His short film, Dear Basketball, which was based on a letter he wrote after he announced his retirement from the game, won the Academy Award for the best animated short film in 2018, marking the first Oscar win for any professional athlete.

#3 LeBron James

Space Jam: A New Legacy Party In The Park After Dark

LeBron James is one of the most global professional athletes in the world of sports because of his status as one of the best players in the NBA ever. The four-time MVP is highly active off the court and is all set to see his new film Space Jam: A New Legacy, released on 10th July 2021. Prior to that, he has featured in four movies in smaller roles, with Space Jam being his first movie in which he will be playing a lead role.

#2 Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan's brand outside of basketball is huge due to his status as the best basketball player of all time. He was one of the first players from the NBA to be recognized on a global stage, thanks to his shoe deals and the success he had as playing for the Chicago Bulls.

Jordan has featured in multiple documentaries, TV shows, and movies in various capacities. The movie in which he played a prominent role was the first Space Jam movie that was released back in 1996. The film was a box office success, grossing over $250 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing basketball film of all time.

#1 Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal is among the most popular personalities from the NBA, who can constantly be spotted in TV commercials, talk shows and movies. He has done at least 20+ movies during and after the end of his career as a professional basketball player.

Shaq also has four rap albums to his name. He is known the most for his roles in movies like Steel (1997), Uncle Grandpa (2014), The Lego Movie (2014), and The Smurfs 2 (2013).