Free agent center Jonas Valanciunas sent social media ablaze following his recent signing with the Washington Wizards . But it was his looks - not play - that mostly drew the attention of fans.
On Sunday, the Wizards inked Valanciunas to a three-year, $30 million deal, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Once news of his signing broke, social media users swiftly pointed out the big man’s uncanny resemblance to Travis and Jason Kelce .
“He look like both Kelce brothers mashed together,” one fan wrote on X, with another adding: “We don’t talk enough about how much Jonas Valanciunas looks like Travis Kelce. Going to the Wizards does no favors to that.”
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Another person questioned if Valanciunas and Kelce were actually the same person. “Has anyone ever seen travis kelce and jonas valanciunas in the same room,” someone asked.
A final person ultimately decided that the sole difference between the NBA and NFL star was the latter’s relationship with pop icon Taylor Swift . “The ONLY difference between Jonas Valanciunas, and Travis Kelce is that Travis took a chance on love,” they said.
This isn’t the first time that people have drawn comparisons between Valanciunas and Kelce. Moments after the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and his teammates secured a thrilling overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III filmed Valanciunas celebrating on the couch while shouting: “Travis, we won!”
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Several weeks later, sports personality Chris “Mad Dog” Russo hilariously referred to Valanciunas as “the Travis Kelce lookalike” on ESPN’s ‘First Take.’ The nickname was promptly welcomed by host Stephen A. Smith, who added: “He is a Travis Kelce lookalike, they’re brothers.
“I’ve been saying it for years. I’d get their parents together and we gotta investigate that tree, they look like straight brothers. It’s unbelievable how they look alike.”
In 82 games played for the Pelicans last season, Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 55.9% from the field and 30.8% from behind the arc. Since being traded to New Orleans by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2021 offseason, the 32-year-old has started in 235 games while missing only 11.
Travis, meanwhile, has been keeping busy during the NFL offseason, attending several of Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ concerts in Europe. The Chiefs star seemingly surprised the songstress at her latest show in Dublin at Aviva Stadium, with fans capturing the sweet moment she noticed her boyfriend in the crowd.
Earlier this month, Kelce joined Swift onstage during her show at Wembley Stadium in London, marking the first time he was featured in one of her performances since the couple began dating last year.
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