In Wakanda, there is as much competition for the NBA crown as there is for Vibranium
Warning: Spoilers ahead
After a mediocre Phase Four, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has run out of steam after completing six films, nine TV shows, and one Marvel Studios' Special Presentation. Marvel needed a clear win heading into this phase's eleventh and final film to enhance an anticipated return to world dominance. For Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, director Ryan Coogler returns to Wakanda and created one of the top five Marvel flicks of all time.
Wakanda Forever begins upon the death of T'Challa the Black Panther, which Marvel opted to execute following the unexpected death of actor Chadwick Boseman. This film focuses on the trauma that T'Challa's death had on Wakanda, particularly on his younger sister Shuri and his mother, Queen Ramonda. It also introduces Talocan, a parallel secret realm controlled by Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta, that uses Vibranium.
Namor attacks Wakanda, leaving the Black Panther's throne vacant, placing the two countries on a collision path toward all-out war. The void created by the Black Panther's death echoes the NBA's present parity. The NBA is wide open for a new champion, with the current champion Golden State Warriors off to a poor start. We've drawn connections between Wakanda Forever's heroes and villains and the current crop of NBA superstars to see which players most closely reflect the film's colorful ensemble of characters.
Shuri is played by Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson embarked on his own hero's journey with the New York Knicks after leaving the heliocentric hemisphere of the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doni. The burden of being "the man" in New York is not for everyone. Fortunately, Brunson possesses the intelligence, stoicism, and tenacity required to assume the role of point guard that the Knicks have long lacked.
While Brunson has not had to deal with the unfathomable sadness and loss that Shuri has (thankfully), he has had to cope with enormous expectations and doubt, both of which he has more than surpassed. In his first season with the team, he's already averaging 20 points per game, 6.9 assists per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. His points and assists totals are both career highs. Brunson must also have the power of foresight, because the Mavericks were in disarray when he departed. Never before has the squad been more one-dimensional or a one-person show. Brunson is now the face of a new era in Knicks basketball, where he is the protagonist without even trying.
Namor is played by Luka Doni
A immigrant from another country who speaks many languages and appears to be superhuman? Namor or Luka Doni are both possibilities. Doni, like Namor, burst out of the gate as an instant successor to grandeur. His combination of power, court vision, three-level scoring, and a clutch gene has not been seen in the NBA since LeBron James arrived in 2003. Doni entered the season as our odds-on favorite to win MVP and has put up a ridiculous stat line: 29.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 7.8 apg, and 2.1 spg. And the Mavericks need need him to be their hero. Doni has the worst supporting cast of any NBA superstar in decades. In his sixth season with Dallas, the team has failed to establish a contender around the team's generational potential, leaving the door open for Doni to ultimately tire of doing everything and find a new city to call his kingdom.
Namor's major dilemma is the brink on which he stands between vengeance and peace. He is determined to defend his people at all means while simultaneously attempting to avert all-out conflict with the surface world. He is anxious for an ally who can employ anything beyond a star-level player, such as Doni. Unfortunately, he's been saddled with a squad consisting of poor, one-dimensional jerks, prompting him to vent on the rest of the league.
Ironheart is played by Paolo Banchero
Riri Williams, an MIT protegee and one of the most brilliant brains in the MCU, is the mastermind inside Ironheart's armored suit. She follows in the footsteps of Tony Stark as one of the world's most intellectual individuals and as a guardian of Earth in an iron suit of armor in both the books and the film. In the film, she is a fish out of water in Wakanda, with the entire planet suddenly being aware of her presence and desiring her skills. Having her on your side offers you an evolutionary advantage over any opponent.
That sounds a lot like this year's first-round pick, Paolo Banchero. Banchero acts as though he was produced in Riri's laboratory. He possesses a power forward's wide, sculpted frame, a guard's handling and court vision, and a wing's first step and scoring ability. He now has the entire focus of rival teams, who are determined to stop him, much like Riri. But with 25.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 3.6 apg, that's not going to happen anytime soon. Rarely does the first overall choice become the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year so fast, but in both his and Riri's instances, they represent the future.
LeBron James in the role of Queen Ramonda
Without giving too much away, Queen Ramdona's reign is coming to an end. As the elder statesman of a storied dynasty, she is attempting to keep her kingdom afloat, much like LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers. But Ramona understands that in order for Wakanda to survive and grow, she must mend the devastation T'Challa's death has caused her country and, most importantly, her daughter, Shuri.
James is at a similar fork in the road. The team's greatest option for the future may be to trade its second-best player, Anthony Davis. Its once-impressive franchise has deteriorated since their 2020 championship, and they now have ill-fitting components, a lack of shooting, and a terrible defense. At 27 years old and in his 20th season, James has seen it all. He's seen civilizations come and fall, yet he's still the second-greatest player of all time. It remains to be seen how long he can keep his team relevant. Nobody, however, has a better chance of rallying the troops and driving their spirits towards an epic turn of events than Ramona.
Okoye played by Kyrie Irving
In Wakanda Forever, Queen Ramonda strips the ferocious leader of the Dora Milaje of her title when her arrogance and pride get the best of her, losing Shuri and Riri Williams to Namor's men. The loss is the last straw for Ramonda, who has previously supported Okoye when she has disregarded reason and royal authority by acting on her own.
Irving is expected to return this Sunday after being suspended for two weeks and eight games for posting a video on social media that promoted Jewish conspiracy theories and utilized Adolf Hitler quotations to buttress its argument. Irving, like Okoye, is on the outside looking in. It required a shifting of the guard for Okoye to be welcomed back into the Black Panther family. At the behest of Nets owner Joe Tsai, Irving was compelled to endure a preposterous laundry list of woke works. Tsai's Alibaba corporation lacks Wakanda's respectable grandeur and is more in accordance with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's secretive CIA's ethically murky, conflicting morals.
M'Baku is played by Joel Embiid
M'Baku, the head of the Jabari Tribe, has had his sights set on the throne of Wakanda since his initial appearance in the first Black Panther film. He challenged T'Challa but was defeated. M'Baku's power and ability have never been in dispute. He has twice helped save the world from Thanos' armies and has been a vital element of Shuri's defense of Wakanda against Namor's army. But, no matter how hard the regal behemoth worked, he had never experienced what it was like to be the top dog.
The same can be said for Embiid, who has been on a six-year "Trust the Process" plan in the hopes of eventually winning a title. Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Markelle Fultz, Tyrese Maxey, and now James Harden have all been his sidekicks throughout the years. Despite being the most dominant offensive big man, Embiid has failed to reach the Finals or Conference Finals. He also lost the MVP title to another big guy, Nikola Joki of Denver. It's difficult to fathom a world in which Embiid does not ultimately win the crown and the title of NBA's best big man.
SOURCE
What do you think of this blog? Write down at the COMMENT section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment