Only one man in the history of the world was able to save an entire race of cartoons and still be awesome doing it: Michael Jordan.

“Space Jam” came out in 1996 and made children everywhere believe aliens were real, and they could steal powers and turn into Monstars. They were right.

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It was a movie that combined cartoons and real actors. Adults and children alike could find something in common with it. Kids were able to look up to the greatest basketball player of all time and watch him shoot hoops with Bugs Bunny.

Hollywood made a ridiculous amount of money off of the movie. Everything from jerseys to video games played off of the Space Jam theme. Kids loved the video game but critically, it was a flop.

If asked what is the best basketball movie of all time, there would be 50 different answers. Many movies come to mind with thinking of the best basketball movies.

“Hoosiers” is a timeless classic about a high school team in Indiana. It has nostalgia but it doesn’t have that zip that Space Jam has.

“Blue Chips” featured Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal as recruits being sought after by former dirty coach Nick Nolte.

“Space Jam” has everything that a movie needs to be successful, such as the love affair between Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny. All guys can admit at one point in their childhood they had a small attraction to Lola Bunny. Yes it is weird, but we always were infatuated with Jessica Rabbit as well. Maybe all guys have a soft spot for rabbits, who knows?

It also has Larry Bird, Larry Legend. What could go wrong with Bird? Nothing. The guy is so smooth he could still probably beat half the guys in the NBA in H.O.R.S.E.

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It has the power struggle between Swackhammer, the owner of Moron Mountain, and the many aliens that work for him. Swackhammer wants to bring Jordan back to Moron Mountain so he can use him in the amusement park.

I think we can all admit we have thought about stealing an NBA player’s talent but not the players that are currently playing. Basketball players in the ‘90s were men. They left it all out on the court every night.

They could not have picked a more diverse group of players to use. Muggsy Bogues was a small point guard who could do anything with the basketball. They used three of the best big men in the league at the time in Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Larry Johnson. Then there was Shawn Bradley. What is there to say about Bradley? He was tall, that’s about it.

According to Box Office Mojo, “Space Jam” has the highest lifetime gross of any basketball movie since 1982, grossing more than $90 million dollars.

It may seem the Looney Toons won the game but this is not true. Deadspin posted an article in 2011 which had a box score of the game. The Toon Squad had 10 points added to their score with 10 minutes left. According to the box score, only one shot was missed in the entire game and it was by the Monstar that had taken Ewings’s body. It states Jordan scored 44 points and Bugs Bunny added 10 points. Jordan’s right-hand man Stan Podolak had a shot miraculousy go in after he was tackled by the Monstars.

If it is not apparent by the many reasons listed above, then let your mind be at ease, “Space Jam” is the best basketball movie of all-time.