"The most embarrassing fifteen minutes of my life" - Actor Woody Harrelson on playing Bob Lanier while filming 'White Men Can't Jump'

In 1992, Woody Harrelson was cast in the basketball-themed movie 'White Men Can't Jump.' To ensure his basketball skills looked authentic on screen, the filmmakers brought in former Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks center Bob Lanier for assistance.

However, Harrelson, who had some college basketball experience himself, apparently felt confident he could manage on his own. According to the movie's IMDb Trivia page , the actor even boasted to Lanier about his past skills. Eventually, the retired NBA All-Star had enough and challenged Harrelson to a one-on-one game. Woody would later describe it as "the most embarrassing fifteen minutes of my life."

Harrelson was a better player than Snipes

'White Men Can't Jump' has become a beloved cult classic. Directed by Ron Shelton, the film starred two talented actors: alongside Harrelson, Wesley Snipes was also brought on board. The story follows the ups and downs of their characters, Billy Hoyle and Sidney Deane, while delving into themes of race, competition, and friendship.

Much of the action unfolds on various street courts in Los Angeles, where the duo challenges and outsmarts opponents in pickup basketball games, sometimes with great success, sometimes not so much. Alongside its sharp humor and social commentary, the movie particularly excels in its dynamic sports scenes, showcasing then-NBA stars like Gary Payton, Marques Johnson, and Freeman Williams.

To bring these scenes to life, Snipes and Harrelson were the ideal choices. Their basketball coaches for the film reported that they reached a skill level high enough to start for an NCAA Division III team.

Interestingly, while the movie portrays Snipes' character as the superior player and Harrelson's character as someone who famously can't dunk (hence the title), the reality was quite different. Woody apparently was much better at playing ball than Wesley.

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More basketball connections

It certainly didn't remain the only project for Harrelson, who is recognized for his roles in 'Zombieland,' 'No Country for Old Men,' and the TV series 'True Detective,' which was related to basketball.

In 2008, he teamed up with fellow sports fan and actor Will Ferrell in the basketball comedy 'Semi-Pro .' Fast forward to 2023, and the Texas native starred in ' Champions ,' where he played a disgraced coach tasked with leading a Special Olympics basketball team.

For promotion, Harrelson appeared in a video with streetball legend Grayson Boucher, also known as 'The Professor.' This time, Woody embraced the basketball lessons wholeheartedly as Boucher showed him some of his impressive moves.

They also chatted about 'White Men Can't Jump' and capped off the session with a friendly 2-on-2 game. This time, there was nothing "embarrassing" for Harrelson, who, alongside 'The Professor,' completely outplayed their opponents. The actor looked quite impressive while doing it.

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