Recently, Jonas Valančiūnas found himself engaged in a game of charades, when he drew LeBron James‘ name to impersonate. Valančiūnas is no stranger to James — he’s been in the NBA since 2012-13 and faced James in the playoffs three consecutive years between 2016 and 2018 as a member of the Toronto Raptors (shout out LeBronto).
For one reason or another, the New Orleans Pelicans big man opted to have some fun at James’ expense during this game of charades. To convey who he drew, Valančiūnas began mimicked crying by rubbing his eyes and letting out a whimper, which continued on for a few seconds. Then, he suddenly crumbled to the ground, as if he’d been struck by something, likely a nod to the “flopper” label James has received from certain crowds. To conclude the performance, he returned to his lead-off of the fake cry.
If you ever wondered what would happen if Jonas Valanciunas drew LeBron in charades…. pic.twitter.com/DIlzWKdwZy
— Christian Clark (@cclark_13) July 20, 2022
Presumably, his co-host recognized the impersonation by its end and the two shared a hearty laugh once they both knew Valančiūnas had been cosplaying as James. I think Valančiūnas’ flop could use a little fine-tuning, though. Watching a 6’11, 265-pound center tumble to the ground so abruptly like that caught me off-guard. Maybe that’s the beauty in his artistry: surprise and brashness. And granted, he didn’t have a ton of space on stage to work, considering his frame.
I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. I just hope he spices up the approach if or when he pulls James’ name again in his next game of charades. We can’t be repeating things here. Great artists never lose creativity and ingenuity.