Space Jam 2: Did LeBron James have a court on movie set like Michael Jordan?

Michael Jordan had a court on the set of Space Jam to get back in shape after taking some time away from the NBA. Did LeBron James have one for Space Jam 2?

The Last Dance will soon move onto looking at Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan‘s brief retirement in which he went to play professional baseball and his subsequent role in the blockbuster film, Space Jam.

Jordan, the big-ticket name of the film, portrayed himself as team captain for the Looney Tunes basketball team as they look to beat the Monstars, a group of invasive aliens that stole basketball talent from five NBA players.

Movies, especially big production films such as Space Jam, take a considerable amount of time and effort to film, and Jordan had just returned at the tail of the season before after spending some time away from the NBA playing professional baseball.

Having been away from the daily grind of the NBA for nearly two full seasons, Jordan had some work to do that offseason to get back in shape to lead the Bulls to another title.

Finding time to get back into game shape while taking on a hectic film schedule wouldn’t be a cakewalk for Jordan. To reduce logistical challenges, Jordan and Warner Bros., the production company for the film, built a training dome with a full basketball court for Jordan to utilize for training.

Tim Grover’s trainer said that the initial plan was to put up some temporary hoops and painted lines in the parking lot for Jordan to get in shape. Grover said that was shot down, and the “Jordan dome” was built, complete with weights and a full-court.

Jordan would host pro players in the area each night, playing some of the greatest pickup games ever on set.

Furthermore, it allowed Grover and Jordan to get him into proper shape while still completing the film, which was a huge money-maker for Jordan. Not only did he get a check from Warner Bros. for the role, but the platform of the film allowed him and Nike to market new colorways of his Air Jordans created specifically for the movie.

Did LeBron James have a space to train while working on Space Jam 2?

Yes, LeBron James had a basketball court built for his use during the filming of Space Jam 2 at Jimmy Goldstein’s house.

Just like Jordan, LeBron James (who will take on a role similar to Jordan’s in a sequel film) filmed Space Jam 2 last summer. James, coming up on the final years of his career and having just missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, would need something similar to Jordan’s facilities in order to maintain his body.

James is said to be one of the strictest players in terms of the regimen he follows both during the season and in the offseason, so usable facilities were required for him while filming the movie.

Space Jam 2 will release in summer 2021, barring any changes in the film industry calendar over the next few years due to novel coronavirus.