If we’ve learned anything from Space Jam (1997) and its 2021 sequel is that there are all kinds of scenarios in which fictional characters could end up competing in a basketball game with NBA legends. So, given that such an occurrence happens at least every two decades, it is, perhaps, prudent to prepare for the next inter-dimensional hoops competition.
Instead of a movie, a more likely scenario would be in a video game, as we’re seeing more and more crossovers at the moment. This wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened, either. Electronic Arts included Mario and his pals in the third instalment of its NBA Street series, pitting NBA legends like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson against Mario and Princess Peach.
Maybe, instead of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck or Mario and Luigi, this video game crossover could involve the characters we see in the likes of the Marvel and DC universes. If that were to happen, which characters would make the best ballers?
Methodology
Before we get to naming names, we need to define a methodology that will help us objectively examine which characters are going to be dunking on the real-world ballers. Sites like OddsChecker can be incredibly useful for this. In addition to comparing the free bet offers from leading sportsbooks, they also compare the odds in almost every betting market, including individual awards like MVP.
In the 2022/23 season, according to OddsChecker, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antekounmpo, and Nikola Jokic are the favorites to win this prestigious title. If we take them and some of the most successful players in history, such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and LeBron James, we can look for common traits and then find them in the comic world.
These common attributes are:
- Tall – They’re all well over 6ft (2m) in height, allowing them to tower over their rivals
- Aggressive – Not necessarily that they’ll start throwing fists, but they play with assertiveness and force
- Agile – Despite being aggressive giants, they can be nimble on their feet and with a ball
- Fast – They can run with a ball faster than most of us can without multitasking
Armed with these criteria, let’s examine which comic characters are making our roster.
The Flash
At 6ft, the Flash just about makes it through on our height requirements. However, what he lacks in stature, he more than makes up for in speed.
This speed will allow him to achieve several things. Firstly, he’ll move so fast that the referees won’t even be able to tell if he’s breaking the traveling rule. Secondly, defending against him will be impossible, so provided he can successfully convert enough baskets, he’ll be a points machine.
Spiderman
There is some debate over exactly how tall Spiderman is, with some estimates saying 5” 8’ and others suggesting 5” 10’. However, let’s go with Insomniac’s version of Peter Parker which puts our arachnid hero at 6ft. Like the Flash, Spiderman just scraps through.
In terms of speed, we’ve seen him outrun explosions and escape numerous certain-death scenarios by using his speed. The community believes he could easily reach 200mph, allowing him to cover the entire court in 0.3 seconds.
But on top of that, his web-weaving abilities will give him an edge around the basket, allowing him to assertively dunk on all the real-world players with ease.
Mrs. Incredible
In addition to breaking records as the first female NBA players in history (if we exclude Princess Peach from NBA Street V3), Mrs. Incredible will be an incredible baller. At 5” 8’, she’s a little shorter than what we ideally want, but she makes up for that with her special abilities. Firstly, if she’s faced with a taller opponent, she could just stretch out her legs to offset and reverse any height advantage they have over her.
But that stretching quality will help tick more boxes for us. There’s nothing more agile that being able to twist yourself into impossible shapes to squeeze through gaps. Not only that, but she could simply stand behind the three-point line and drop balls into the basket like she was throwing away litter in a trash can.
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