Reliving Chris Tucker's 5 best NBA moments as comedian's death story is revealed to be a hoax
Hollywood actor and comedian Chris Tucker is the latest celebrity to be a victim of a death hoax. A YouTube video released by "Celeb TV" went viral suggesting Tucker had been shot dead.
“10 Minutes Ago / Died On The Way To The Hospital / Goodbye Comedian Chris Tucker.”
Fans believed the story to be true. Many shared the news across various platforms. However, it was later confirmed by reliable sources that Tucker was still very much alive and kicking.
Chris Tucker's NBA connections
Chris Tucker is a huge sports fan. He is often spotted posting pictures alongside NFL, NBA and golf stars. He has attended several NBA games and is a die-hard Atlanta Hawks fan. Tucker also participated in the Celebrity All-Star game four times between 2007 and 2010.
Chris Tucker has had some memorable moments in the NBA, and here's a look at the five most notable.
#1 Chris Tucker blocks Mark Cuban's shot at the 2010 Celebrity All-Star game
Chris Tucker played for the East Celebrity All-Stars during the 2010 Celebrity All-Star game. He got the opportunity to match up against Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who was playing for the West Celebrity All-Stars. With three games under his belt by then, Tucker used the experience to make a solid defensive play against Cuban.
Cuban tried to catch Tucker off guard and attempted to make a quick turnaround jumper. However, the comedian made sure Cuban didn't get the better of him during that possession, reading the play well and blocking Cuban's shot. Tucker's play was featured on the NBA's official YouTube channel as 'Block of the Night.'
Here's the clip:
#2 Chris Tucker trash talks Kara Lawson during the 2009 Celebrity All-Star game
During the 2009 Celebrity All-Star game, Chris Tucker was among the players wired for the contest. The comedian made the most of the situation and left fans in splits. Tucker took on the challenge of guarding former WNBA player Kara Lawson, who had won a championship a year prior. She was at the receiving end of Tucker's trash talk during the game.
#3 Chris Tucker attends the 2021 NBA Finals with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
With the Atlanta Hawks crashing out of the 2021 playoffs in the conference finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, Chris Tucker admitted he was a bandwagon fan and attended Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Milwaukee along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.
Tucker revealed on the Jimmy Kimmel show that Kareem invited him to the game. He said it was a surreal experience as Kareem and Robertson accompanied him down the tunnel.
#4 Chris Tucker opens the 2019 NBA Awards alongside Shaquille O'Neal
Chris Tucker opened the 2019 NBA Awards ceremony alongside Shaquille O'Neal. Tucker delivered a hilarious monolog to set up O'Neal's entry to the stage. The comedian roasted O'Neal before the latter crashed the stage and took over, dropping one of his best raps dedicated to the NBA.
#5 Chris Tucker leaves LeBron James out of his all-time starting 5
During an appearance on former NFL player-turned-analyst Shannon Sharpe's podcast, Chris Tucker named his all-time starting five in the NBA. The list primarily featured players from the past. Tucker went with Kobe Bryant, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Sharpe was surprised that Tucker had not selected LeBron James. However, the latter apologized and added James as the sixth man on the team.