Will Smith is 51. And he’s becoming a basketball fanatic.

Today the American movie actor and hip-hop performer celebrates his 51st birthday. Despite the fact that Will Smith looks most familiar on TV in a strict black suit, with a gun in his hands and the intention to save the world, the actor managed to show himself in completely different images. He played a selfless man in the drama “Seven Lives”, a caring single father in the movie “In Pursuit of Happiness” and even the fabulous Aladdin. And the most loyal fans remember Will in the role of the legendary Mohammed Ali in the movie in 2001.

In addition to acting and music, the movie star has another passion – basketball. Will Smith is an ardent fan of the NBA team “Philadelphia Seventy Sixers”. Moreover, he himself has not once stepped on the floor as a player: and on the set of the series “Prince of Beverly Hills”, and in real life. Today, in honor of Will’s birthday, we will remember the most significant moments of his career related to basketball.

Will Smith’s first role in the series: basketball, hip-hop and the 90s

The cult series “The Prince of Beverly Hills” was shown on NBC from 1990 to 1996. Young Will Smith played in it himself: an ordinary teenager from the west of Philadelphia, playing basketball and passionate about hip-hop. But because of a conflict involving Will, his mother is forced to send him to live in Bel-Air, California, in the well-to-do family of his sister and her husband.

Of course, in real life Will Smith did not play basketball in his school days, but in the plot of the TV series he becomes the best player in the Bel-Air Academy. Speaking under number 14, the actor demonstrates excellent sports skills. And in one of the episodes, which depicts the dream of the dreamy Prince, he one-on-one beats the NBA star Isaiah Thomas.

“Philadelphia Sixers. One club, one love

Will Smith wasn’t kidding at all when he uttered the phrase “born and raised in West Philly” in the intro to “Prince of Beverly Hills.” The actor actually spent his teenage years in this part of the Pennsylvania city. Hence his devotion to the Philadelphia Sixers basketball team, which he has been actively rooting for over the years.

Let’s say more, since 2016, Will, together with his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, owns a share of shares of their favorite club. In October of that year, before the start of the season, the artist hosted a dinner for 76ers players, where he appeared in a jersey with Sergio Rodriguez’s number.

Will Smith’s motivational speech before an NBA game

And in 2018, Smith participated in the creation of the “Can You Feel It!” trailer. The video was filmed before the game between the Philadelphia Sixers and Boston Celtics in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.

Will gave a motivational speech along with other Philadelphia stars: basketball player Joel Embiid, American soccer guard Malcolm Jenkins, actor Kevin Hart, rapper Lil Dicky and Boyz II Men vocalists.

He played number 33 in a game against the Red Hot Chili Peppers

The MTV entertainment show Rock N’ Jock brought together actors, musicians and professional athletes to face off in a sports match. When it premiered, the contestants were only playing softball. A year later, in 1991, the show began to hold basketball matches, from 1997 – soccer, and in 1999 bowling joined them.

A member of one of the teams of the first MTV Rock N’ Jock B-Ball Jam basketball game in Los Angeles was Will Smith. He played as number 33. Other creative representatives on the court included Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, Jaleel White, MC Lyte and Flie from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Also, the Intruders and Stoners teams were diluted by professional basketball players. Magic Johnson, John Salley, Ron Harper, Reggie Miller and others took part in the matchup.

Alas, Will Smith’s Stoners team was defeated, but it was still a great matchup.

At the epicenter of the NBA

Will Smith visited the NBA’s overhead shooting contest in 1994. This time, he watched the competition along with the spectators. However, due to his love for basketball, the actor could not sit idly by: he tried his best to attract the attention of the crowd and awaken activity in it.

In addition, you can hear Smith’s song “Boom! Shake The Room” during the introduction of the participants in the first minutes of the broadcast.

For the sake of the role. How Will Smith played a blind basketball referee

In 2013, the official trailer of “Blind Referee” featuring Will appeared online. In the video he played the main role of a blind basketball referee, whose work is filled with confusions and comical moments.

This video is often called fake, because the full-length movie after it was never released. And it wasn’t supposed to. “Blind Referee” is another humorous experiment from “The Jimmy Kimmel Show” in which Will Smith agreed to participate.

Three-pointer on live television

Will Smith once visited Mexican television as well. He appeared on the comedy show Otro Rollo on Televisa in 2015. Together with Adal Ramonez, they did the traditional host/guest conversation. But the hallmark of the edition was their basketball game right in the studio.

We have chosen the most significant, in our opinion, moments that connect Will Smith with his favorite sport. Of course, it’s not everything. We believe that Will will continue to show himself not only as an unrivaled artist, but also as a person with a great interest in professional sports.