At the 92nd Academy Awards on Feb. 9, South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite became the first foreign language film to win Best Picture. This global inclusivity was a watershed moment in cinema but has long been a trend in professional basketball.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Dončić thrilling spectators nightly, the 2020 MVP race will most likely result in a non-American taking home the NBA’s equivalent of Best Picture.
That is far from the only area in which the arts and sports world overlap. Each player’s highlight reel is a movie of its own, and some could even be considered Oscar-worthy.
Best original screenplay: Trae Young
Admittedly, awarding Trae Young this title may be a slight misnomer. A screenplay denotes a script, and Young performs in a way that appears purely improvisational.
Many of his peers have been credited with redefining the game, but Young tends to toss out the dictionary entirely. Seldom does an athlete induce such a rapidly repeating cycle of wincing and cheering from viewers like Young.
Check out Young the next time one of his 40-foot prayers inexplicably finds the net. Other shooters finish their follow-throughs with an arm gracefully poised. Meanwhile, both of Young’s are awkwardly flapping in midair, an endearing imitation of his own Atlanta Hawks’ namesake.
Whether he is winding up from the center-court logo or chasing an errant dribble sent between the legs of a hapless defender, Young is constantly flying in the face of convention.
Best documentary: Kawhi Leonard
These works are first and foremost an exploration of truth, prioritizing substance over flash.
Likewise, Kawhi Leonard’s career is a documented account of fundamentals. Sound mechanics are all you need when you’re light-years beyond your competition physically.
You won’t often see Leonard fall to the ground after a dramatic fadeaway because he can shoot over just about anybody standing upright. If Leonard wants to reach the hoop, he simply takes an immense stride around or through his demonstrably weaker opponent. Leonard’s style of play boils down to interpreting bodily data and acting accordingly.
Is it a fact that Leonard could fry an egg in the palm of his hand if it got hot enough? Probably, which is why his blocks involve little emphasis. You would not need to wildly swat at the ball either if you had 11.5 inches between your thumb and pinkie.
Best international feature: Nikola Jokić
I am easily flummoxed by the nuances and occasional cultural barriers in foreign movies, but I still recognize art when I see it. That is exactly how I feel watching Nikola Jokić.
When logic would suggest he brutishly back into defenders and throw down an eruptive jam, Jokić instead twirls his 250-pound body around his obstacle and gently rolls in a layup.
All my Americanized ideals of what basketball is supposed to look like operate in stark contrast to the Denver Nuggets’ Serbian center. Think Michael Jordan leaping from the free-throw line, not a 7-footer whose hops might as well be explosive calf raises.
Then again, perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that a man who so closely resembles the Pillsbury mascot can glide through the lane as if he were half made of butter.
Best visual effects: Zion Williamson
Special effects subtly enhance a viewer’s experience while preserving the illusion of reality. Spend a little too long watching Zion Williamson highlights, and you too will begin to suspect editing tricks.
How else could a 6-foot-6-inch, 284-pound Goliath pounce about the paint like a cat on a trampoline?
When Williamson hurtles across the court during a fast-break, it’s as if his opposition is stuck in slow motion. His vicious dunks leave the rim rattling a moment longer, and the distinct thud of his blocks registers a few decibels louder through the sideline microphones.
Until I witness him in the flesh, I will not be entirely convinced that Williamson exists as we see him on-screen. It would not surprise me if somewhere in New Orleans an animation artist is carefully superimposing a 19-year-old’s face onto a massive computer-generated 3D model.
Hollywood magic seemingly knows no bounds, nor does Williamson’s potential to drop jaws.
