Warriors' Klay Thompson Jokes Bugs Bunny Would Beat LeBron James in Basketball Game
July 13, 2021
Ahead of the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy on Friday, Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson offered an answer to a question that will be at the forefront of NBA fans' minds.
Asked who would win a game of basketball between LeBron James and Bugs Bunny, Thompson told reporters he would bet on the Looney Tunes star because of his experience.
"LeBron is Mr. triple-double threat," Thompson said. "He could do it on both sides of the ball. But Bugs Bunny has been doing it for a lot longer, maybe like 80 to 100 years now. LeBron's only been doing it professionally since what, '03?"
An official box score for the original Space Jam was never released, but the Harvard Sports Analysis Collective attempted to put one together in March 2011.
According to their numbers, Bugs Bunny finished with 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting and three assists in the Tune Squad's miraculous 78-77 comeback win that saw them erase a 48-point halftime deficit.
Considering that team also had Michael Jordan, who was credited with 44 points on 22-of-22 shooting, it speaks well of Bugs' ability to handle himself on the court in a big-game situation.
James has been in more big games than any NBA player from this generation. The four-time NBA MVP has averaged 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game with a 48.4 field-goal percentage in 55 Finals games.
The Los Angeles Lakers star would also have a notable size advantage, but Bugs' ability to twist and contort his body in all sorts of ways could help him create some easy looks at the basket.
While we may not get a final answer to this question in the new Space Jam movie, perhaps Warner Bros. will one day release a special extended cut that includes a one-on-one game between James and Bugs after the main story arc is settled like the end of Rocky III.