Giannis Antetokounmpo is used to rejecting people on the court, so this isn't that big of a shock.
Days after a report indicated that LeBron James is struggling to recruit top NBA players to join him for his upcoming "Space Jam" sequel, Antetokounmpo confirmed that he declined an invitation to star in the movie.
Wrapping up what very likely may be his first MVP season, the Milwaukee Bucks star told ESPN's Malika Andrews that he ultimately turned down a role in the follow-up to Michael Jordan's 1996 cult classic because get in the way off his everyday routines.
Being in the film would have required him to give up two weeks of private workouts to train with his fellow stars while making the movie, a total non-starter, given Antetokounmpo's reclusive tendencies.
"I don't like being Hollywood," Antetokounmpo told Andrews. "I don't like all this extra drama. I am just going to try to be me."
ESPN's Brian Windhorst previously reported that James "hasn't been able to close some of those deals" to bring recognizable NBA names onto the "Space Jam 2" cast. Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade, noted friends of James, have been speculated as potential co-stars for the anticipated Looney Tunes crossover, but Windhorst indicated "some of the top guys" may be hesitant to join a movie in which they'll be the ones James is "dunking on."
In any event, the "Space Jam" sequel is already slated for a July 2021 release, with James attached as both a lead actor and executive producer. Former NBA players and original "Space Jam" actors Charles Barkley and Shawn Bradley are among the few cast members listed on the movie's IMDb page, with Terence Nance set to direct and Ryan Coogler ("Creed," "Black Panther") credited as a producer.
