LeBron James Just Watched Teen Wolf, And Has Some Blunt Thoughts On The Basketball Scene At The End

Michael J. Fox in Teen Wolf, Lebron slam dunking in Space Jam: A New Legacy
(Image credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Atlantic Entertainment Group,Warner Bros. Pictures)

NBA fans continue to debate LeBron James' place among basketball legends like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, but one thing is clear: the man knows a thing or two about the sport. The NBA superstar is spending his offseason downtime catching up with one of Michael J. Fox’s greatest movies, the 1985 cult classic Teen Wolf, and he has some blunt thoughts about the scene on the court at the end of the flick. Honestly, it’s pretty hilarious. 

One of my favorite werewolf movies, Teen Wolf revolves around a teenager tackling school, social and athletic challenges. Although it has moments of campiness, it is a fun movie that doesn’t aim to portray the sport onscreen accurately. The former “Ohio Mr. Basketball” took to Twitter saying that the film's final game scene is one of the funniest he's ever seen. You can check out his comical post for yourself below:

Ouch! That's quite a criticism, especially considering the fact that he himself played basketball against CGI characters in Space Jam: A New Legacy.

James is referring to the scene in the iconic '80s film's climax, where Michael J. Fox's character, Scott, secures victory for his team by making two free throws. Interestingly, his rival from the opposing team, Mick, stands beneath the hoop, glaring at him. In reality, game rules prohibit players from positioning themselves under the basket during an opponent's free throw attempts.

Not everyone agreed with the 4-time NBA champion. Twitter user @redapples reminded the b-ball giant that there are far worse on screen depictions, like 2004's Catwoman, for example.  

Podcast host Tahir Johnson stood in complete opposition to the LA Lakers player. He commented with a hilarious hair-covered meme, which you can check out below:

Another user commented that this was a question they’d been pondering for some time. They wrote: 

I have always wondered this. When I was a kid I used to wonder when that scenario would happen in a real game 😂

Sure, Teen Wolf’s scenes revolving around hoops might have taken some dramatic liberties. However, still, for my money, the worst basketball scene in cinema is depicted in of my least favorite horror movies from one of my favorite franchises, Alien: Resurrection. There's nothing like seeing one of the greatest female action heroes being resurrected 200 years after her death to engage in some truly cringe-worthy one-on-none. 

Despite LeBron James' criticisms, Teen Wolf remains a quintessential '80s movie, though it may not have reached the same level of popularity as Fox's other '80s hit, Back to the Future. Interestingly, the campy werewolf flick was filmed before Marty McFly's time-traveling adventure, but released later to capitalize on Michael J. Fox's fame, which proved successful. However, it's well-known that the Family Ties alum was not skilled on the court, leading filmmakers to employ creative tactics. While this may explain some unrealistic depictions, it doesn't justify the movies baddy standing under the goal.

You, like LeBron James, can catch up with Teen Wolf and all its lousy b-ball scenes by streaming it with a Max subscription. Also, make sure to check out our 2023 movie release schedule to see what is coming to a theater near you. 

Ryan LaBee
Writer

Ryan graduated from Missouri State University with a BA in English/Creative Writing. An expert in all things horror, Ryan enjoys covering a wide variety of topics. He's also a lifelong comic book fan and an avid watcher of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.