Warning: The following contains spoilers for Space Jam: A New Legacy, now in theaters and on HBO Max.
When LeBron James is trapped in the Serververse by the evil Al-G Rhythm in Space Jam: A New Legacy, he must play a game of basketball to escape and save his son, but there’s a catch. LeBron has to play a customized, video game version of basketball, which his son, Dom, created, and his foes, the Goon Squad, are formidable. Dom made the game’s Goon Squad by using motion-capture on real NBA and WNBA players. Then, he upgraded them into humanoids and gave them specialized skills. Here are the original players and what characters they are in the game.
Anthony Davis as The Brow
Anthony Davis was the first-overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft when he was taken by the New Orleans Pelicans. In 2019, the power forward was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he has played with LeBron ever since, and together they won the NBA championship in 2020. In Space Jam: A New Legacy, Davis is The Brow. The character is a play on Davis’ trademark saying, “Fear the Brow.” He looks like a harpy – half-human and half-bird – and is adamant that he is the “flyest guy on the squad.”
Klay Thompson as Wet-Fire
Klay Thompson was drafted to the Golden State Warriors in 2011, and between 2015 and 2019, his team played in every NBA Finals series, winning three of them. Together, he and Stephen Curry are the “Splash Brothers,” which references their ability to make three-pointers rain. In Space Jam: A New Legacy, Thompson’s character is Wet-Fire, which plays off of the “Splash Brothers” moniker while combining it with saying that someone is “on fire” if they are doing something well. Wet-Fire is super smooth as he moves the ball down the court, and his ability to change forms makes him nearly unstoppable.
Diana Taurasi as White Mamba
Like Anthony Davis, Diana Taurasi was drafted first overall. She was taken by the Phoenix Mercury in 2004, and there she has won three WNBA titles. Taurasi is considered one of the greatest female basketball players of all time, and she received her nickname “White Mamba” from the “Black Mamba” himself, Kobe Bryant. Her character in Space Jam: A New Legacy uses her nickname and transforms Taurasi into a Nāga, a half-human and half-serpent figure, and her appearance is terrifying to the Tunes.
Nneka Ogwumike as Arachnneka
Nneka Ogwumike was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2012, and she has remained with the team to this day. The Sparks have made the playoffs every year since Ogwumike has been part of the team, and won the 2016 WNBA Finals. While her character in Space Jam: A New Legacy doesn’t reference anything in particular, its still very intimidating because Ogwumike is a humanoid spider. She uses her webs to control and steal the ball just as much as her hands, which makes her an expert defender.
Damian Lillard as Chronos
Damien Lillard was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012 and is still playing with the team. After missing the playoffs in his first two seasons, Lillard has helped the Trail Blazers reach the playoffs every year since. In Space Jam: A New Legacy, Lillard is the golden, time-controlling robotic member of the Goon Squad called Chronos. With the watch on his wrist, Chronos can slow down time to the point where he makes the Road Runner look slow. The character is a play on Lillard’s nickname “Dame Time,” where he will point to his wrist when he’s ready to make a big play.
Catch the Goon Squad in Space Jam: A New Legacy, now playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.