Which NBA star played the role of Bo Cruz in the Netflix film Hustle? Here are all the details
Netflix’s film Hustle features several NBA stars as actors, alongside the main fictional character – Bo Cruz – which was played by Juancho Hernangomez. Hernangomez is a real-life NBA player who was drafted in 2016 by the Denver Nuggets.
Hernangomez has had stints with five NBA franchises so far. He played for the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz in the 2021-22 season. The 6-foot-9 forward is currently in the lead for a spot on the Toronto Raptors’ final roster.
The Raps have signed Juancho Hernangomez, who played the role of Bo Cruz in Adam Sandler’s film ‘Hustle.’ 🚀😎 https://t.co/0E6c8ChyE0
The Spaniard has mainly been used as a role player in the NBA. In six seasons, Juancho has averaged 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds. He has the ability to make deep shots as well. He has a career average of 35.1% from long range, which could be valuable for many teams.
Although he’s yet to make a mark in the NBA, he was praised for his acting skills in 'Hustle'. He got the role of Bo Cruz by sending an audition tape that impressed producer Joseph Vecsy. Vecsy said:
“Juancho was excellent. When we saw his audition, he was clearly the best. He brought this natural charming energy and was just himself. We knew he was the guy right away. And then he blew us away even more with his acting chops on set.
"He’s the best athlete actor I have ever seen and I think everyone will agree after seeing the film. He could do movies and TV after the NBA if he wants to."
The main character Bo Cruz is a Spanish streetball player, who was spotted by Philadelphia 76ers’ fictional scout Stanley Sugarman. The role of Sugarman was played by Adam Sandler, who is a passionate basketball fan as well. This is what Hernangomez said about Sandler:
“He watches basketball all the time. You can see him, he gets nervous to see any basketball players, and he doesn’t get nervous next to any famous actor.”
Juancho Hernangomez wins gold at the 2022 EuroBasket
Juancho made his first national team appearance in 2013 with the Spanish national under-18 basketball team. Since then, he’s participated in multiple national tournaments and has six medals. His most recent medal came at the latest edition of EuroBasket held in Germany.
Juancho made his impact felt when it was needed the most – stepping up in the finals against France. He scored 27 points in 26 minutes, shooting 81.8% from the field, including 77.8% from beyond the arc. His efforts led to a convincing 88-76 victory for the Spanish team, earning the country its fourth gold in the history of EuroBasket.