Kawhi Leonard Trashed Jack Harlow's Game As Rapper Prepares For Acting Debut In "White Men Can't Jump" Remake
Rapper Jack Harlow is the latest music artist who'll be making the jump from recording studio to silver screen, as he's preparing for a remake of the 1992 hit movie White Men Can't Jump. Being a newly minted brand ambassador for New Balance, Harlow got to rub elbows recently with Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard, who gave him some simple, sage advice for the upcoming film shoot.
Complex interviewed Harlow about his endorsement deal with New Balance and his initial encounter with Kawhi. The NBA's perpetual, superlative Man Of Few Words didn't mince any when it came to discussing Harlow's basketball skills — or lack thereof:
"[Kawhi is] the shit. I met him the other day. Just talked life. I was curious about what his life’s like. He was curious about mine. Told him about the movie I’m preparing for. He told me I need to get my layup package together because it’s ass. […] He’s chill as hell. He’s cool as hell. Super cool."
Here was Harlow during the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in February, and…I mean dude can shoot — even if his form is a bit funky — but as he also admitted in the feature story, Harlow's left hand needs WORK.
If I'm not mistaken, that might be the first quote of any kind we've seen from Kawhi Leonard in the public eye since he tore his ACL during last year's playoffs. But seriously, the reason White Men Can't Jump worked so well in the first place is because Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson made the basketball bit of the movie actually convincing. Harrelson played some basketball in college, and Snipes was an excellent athlete who, self-admittedly, couldn't shoot to save his life.
Among the interesting trivia facts about the OG, per IMDb: It was one of Stanley Kubrick's favorite films, and the basketball teachers who consulted on the set apparently said Snipes and Harrelson were good enough to start for a Division III college team by the end of the shoot.
So yeah, Harlow has some pretty big shoes to fill, especially for someone making their film debut. Maybe his odd shooting form can help play into the streetball hustling angle that drives the plot. Anyway, sounds like he has a long way to go to live up to the hype, if Kawhi's assessment is any indication. While Harlow is playing Harrelson's role, actor Sinqua Walls has been cast to play Snipes' original character. Walls has been in at least two sports-related projects upon an initial scanning of his filmography, the TV shows Friday Night Lights and Blue Mountain State.
I used to kind of enjoy rooting against Kawhi. His exit from the Spurs was weird. His antics in LA have been strange. But damn I kinda miss him at this point. And when he does talk or laugh, it's captivating.
I say this in everyday life so often because of Kawhi, and I can only pray that he greeted Harlow with these exact words when they first met, before he proceeded to roast his game: