Space Jam is one of the most iconic basketball movies of all-time. To celebrate its 20th anniversary next month, some cinemas have scheduled an encore screening of the film.

Rumors also came out earlier this year regarding a possible sequel, given the success the first film had. But if you ask Toronto Raptors forward Patrick Patterson, he prefers to leave the original one on its own as to not ruin its legacy.

The 27-year-old Kentucky product recently took to The Players' Tribune, making a case against Space Jam 2:

“I’m a huge movie fan. Movies are a big part of my life. This summer I even had the opportunity to help cover the Toronto International Film Festival for the CBC. So please know that I don’t say this lightly: The original Space Jam is the perfect movie. The. Perfect. Movie.

“It is a cinematic experience.

“And that’s why, for the sake of preserving its greatness, we must never try to improve upon it.

“To make a sequel to Space Jam would be like trying to paint the Mona Lisa again. Sure, you can probably do it, but why the hell would you want to?

“With a lot of the remakes and sequels that have come out recently, I think movie studios believe that they can capture the same magic that made audiences love the originals. Either that or the first one sucked but made a lot of money anyway, so they decided to make another one.”

Patterson also shared his thoughts on why the Michael Jordan-starred movie became a hit in 1996, and what brought it close to the heart of the average fan:

“I think the reason the original Space Jam was so amazing was that it had absolutely no business being good. I’m a professional athlete, and I think most sports movies suck, particularly the ones that cast athletes in starring roles. It’s just a fact. But for some reason, by using like random aliens as a connector, this film about Looney Tunes characters and an assortment of semiprominent-to-prominent ’90s NBA stars just … worked. It captivated you. It felt like … it actually happened. Every sports fan has watched their team slumping and in the back of their mind thought, Damn, wonder if the Monstars took their powers. It seemed so real that the most unrealistic part of the entire movie was the suggestion that Michael Jordan lived in a modest two-story home at the peak of his stardom.”

Many don't think the next lead character, whoever it is, is worthy of inheriting Jordan's role, as he is widely considered the greatest player of all time. But, either way, the debate on whether a sequel should be made will rage on moving forward.