Yesterday, the entertainment world lost a great man. Stan Lee, the legendary creator of the greatest superheroes in Marvel Comics history, passed away at 95 years of age. His legacy is marked by the popularization of superheroes and the worldwide acceptance of geek culture.
In honor of Lee’s outstanding contribution to our generation, we thought of a handful of NBA superstars who play the game as if they had been bitten by a radioactive spider like Spider-Man, bombarded by cosmic rays like the Fantastic Four, or simply born with superpowers like the mutant X-Men. These players are so amazing and incredible that perhaps in an alternate reality, Lee created them.
Here are five players who we think Stan Lee created straight out of his vast imagination:
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Lee likes superheroes with humble beginnings from his creations and Antetokounmpo fits that story. Spider-Man is one such superhero who was just a high school kid doing what all other high school kids should be doing until a laboratory accident changed his life forever. Today, he is considered Lee’s greatest creation.
Antetokounmpo started out as this long, lanky kid who nobody really knew much about which is why he wasn’t selected by any team until the Milwaukee Bucks chose him with the 15th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft.
It took him a while to recognize how unique his talents truly were. Now in his sixth year, Antetokounmpo is putting up otherworldly numbers that are straight out of a comic book. He is currently averaging 25.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. His long arms and unearthly abilities make him a lot like everyone’s favorite Wall-Crawler.
Even his nickname sounds like a superhero’s name that Lee created: The Greek Freak!
One of Lee’s most popular creations is the Hulk. He looks like a monster due to his size and strength but he’s really a gentle creature with the alter ego of a mild-mannered scientist known as Bruce Banner.
The 6-foot-11 Davis has put up monster numbers throughout his career. He would routinely block five shots in a game or more during some nights and then he would grab 20 rebounds on some. In February of 2016, Davis finished with a career-high 59 points to go along with 20 rebounds. On his 25th birthday last March, Davis recorded a career-high 10 blocks. He has also led the league in blocks three times in five seasons.
But don’t be deceived by Davis’ numbers. He’s really one of the league’s nicest players aside from being a smart basketball player. Known as “The Brow,” the nickname fits in Tales of Suspense, one of the titles that Lee wrote in for Marvel Comics.
When Lee created the Fantastic Four, he didn’t realize how much he would change the comic book world with their introduction. Among these four characters is a young man by the name of Johnny Storm who is more popularly known as the Human Torch. He could defeat their enemies by shooting fire from his hands from long distances.
Curry is arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history. When he’s on fire, there’s virtually no place on the court where he can’t launch and make a three-pointer. Witness his unbelievable three-point shooting display in February of 2016 when he nailed 12 bombs from beyond the arc. The last one came in dramatic fashion as he shot a three-pointer from 30 feet out with 0.6 seconds left in overtime to give the Golden State Warriors a 121-118 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
For his career, Curry has led the league in three-pointers made five times in nine seasons. Three years ago, he had a record 402 threes in a season! Just like Antetokounmpo, his nickname Baby-Faced Assassin sounds like one that Lee would have come up with himself.
In the X-Men comics, Lee created a character called the Beast. Hank McCoy aka Beast wasn’t always animal-like in his physiology but he evolved into it. He has enhanced physical attributes and can move as nimble as many animals with sharp claws and teeth. He’s also quite strong, able to lift objects beyond those of normal humans.
In the NBA, Russell Westbrook is definitely a beast on the floor. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s point guard is one of the league’s most ferocious players, able to dominate a game with his uncanny all-around abilities. Two years ago, he joined Oscar Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double for an entire season with a league-leading 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists. Last season, he distanced himself from the Big O by averaging another triple-double for the second straight year.
Russell Westbrook finally posted a picture of his “WESTWOLF” jacket. pic.twitter.com/magwma2El3
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) January 21, 2018
In 10 seasons. Westbrook has amassed a total of 104 triple-doubles, good for fourth all-time. His nickname, “Westwolf” was given to him by the Jordan Brand and it certainly fits his superheroic exploits on the hardwood. Lee would have been proud to have Westwolf as one of his Marvel characters.
1. LeBron James
Thor is originally from Norse mythology but it was Lee who turned him into a superhero. As one of the Norse gods, Thor uses his powers and Mjolnir, his mystical hammer from Odin, to protect Midgard (Earth) from those who would seek to destroy it. He is one of the most powerful superheroes in Marvel Comics and one who has the respect of every one of his peers.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ 6-foot-8, 250-pound James towers over many of his opponents and even god-like to most of them because of his skills. His extraordinary all-around abilities truly separate him from most players who are mere mortals to him. His four Most Valuable Player awards are matched only by Wilt Chamberlain and surpassed only by three other greats of the game.
Last season, in his 15th year, James carried an unheralded Cleveland Cavaliers team all the way to the NBA Finals, his eighth straight appearance in the championship round. Despite losing to the eventual champion Warriors, fans and critics alike praised number 23’s ability to carry a team on his back despite not having much help from his supporting cast.
Known by a superheroic nickname that Lee could have come up with on his own, the Akron Hammer, James embodies the qualities that come with being one of the best to ever play the game and one who could easily be one of the best superheroes in comics.
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