In the world of professional basketball, fans often see players showcasing their skills on the court, but there’s much more to these athletes than what meets the eye.
Meet Myles Turner, Brook Lopez, and Ben Wallace – three NBA players with extraordinary hobbies that go beyond the realm of sports.
These players have developed passions that have captured their hearts and minds, leading them to explore unique worlds outside of basketball. Let’s dive into their fascinating interests and discover what makes these athletes stand out not just as sports stars but as individuals with captivating and unexpected pastimes.
Myles Turner- Legos
Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner collects more than just boards, and it’s Legos.
Turner has been no stranger to sharing his Lego collection on his social media for all to see; in fact, Turner has gone viral on multiple instances across all different platforms.
In March of last year, Turner posted a Lego video to TikTok that has now garnered over 900,000 views. The video features some highlights from Turner’s collection, including the Death Star and Millenium Falcon from the “Star Wars” series and the Titanic, with a caption stating, “Girls are cool and all but have you ever experienced the feeling of finishing a 1k plus lego set.”
However, it’s important to note that Turner’s Lego obsession would not have come to fruition if it weren’t for another obsession of his; “Star Wars.” After his second watch of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in theatres in 2018, Turner saw an ad for the Lego “Death Star” on Twitter.
“I was like damn, that would be dope as hell,” Turner told Sports Illustrated. “If I’m not doing anything, let me put this thing together. And then the Death Star led to the Millennium Falcon, Millenium Falcon led to Star Destroyers. I went by Toys R Us and legit went on a spree and bought a whole bunch.”
In addition to enjoying the mainline Star Wars Legos, Turner also has his own Lego Darth Vader statue of himself. The 100,000-piece sculpture, commissioned to Lego artist Ekow Nimako, took 716 hours to build and stands at 7’3”, about three inches taller than Turner himself.
Brook Lopez- Comics
Being a superhero on the court isn’t easy, and that’s precisely what Bucks center and NBA champion Brook Lopez indulges in.
Lopez’s love for comics can be traced back to when he was a kid. It’s worth mentioning Brook’s twin brother, Robin, also enjoys collecting comics.
“My older brothers always collected comics and read them,” Lopez said in an interview with the New York Post. “When we were little, Robin and I would sneak into their room and take them and read them. I grew up watching the old Batman shows, the Batman cartoon, and the X-Men cartoon was on when I was little. I was always surrounded by superheroes.”
Loepz’s interest in comics culminated even further during his days at Stanford.
“I took creative writing classes at Stanford, with screenwriting and playwriting, short stories and all sorts of stuff. Those were the classes I really enjoyed,” Lopez told Sports Illustrated.
During Lopez’s time as a New Jersey Net, he was a frequent customer of Paradox Comics, a comic store just ten minutes away from the Net’s practice facility. Lopez tried to make it out to the shop at least once a week.
“I try to come every week. It depends. If we are in a different city, I will get them digitally. But I enjoy coming in and interacting with the people here. They take care of me,” Lopez told Sports Illustrated.
Between Lopez’s interest in comics and his classes at Stanford, Lopez’s debut as a visionary in the comic world fully culminated in 2021. With the help of his brothers, Robin and Chirs, and the help of Japanese manga artist TATSUZ, the manga ’Transition Game’ was released on Feb. 3, 2022.
Although it seems Transition Game has stopped coming out, the rest of the manga is available to purchase on the website.
Ben Wallace- RC Cars
Hall of Famer Ben Wallace’s RC car interest started during his first year in the NBA when the big man signed with the Washington Bullets after going undrafted.
“I’ve always been a big fan of RC cars, like the really good ones, I mean,” Wallace said to the R/C Car magazine in 2007. “A long time ago, one of my nephews had a Radio Shack monster truck that I had fun driving one day just playing around. Then my wife’s brother had a friend doing the real hobby RC cars, and before I knew it, my wife got me my first nitro car for a birthday gift.”
Wallace receiving his first RC car would turn out to be the start of something special. By 2007, Wallace’s collection grew to about 130 to 150 RC cars.
Similar to how Wallace’s nephew’s interest in RC cars would influence Wallace to get into the hobby, Wallace’s interest would rub off on his teammates throughout his career.
“There are a couple of guys in the NBA that are into RC,” Wallace said to the R/C Car Magazine. “Rasheed Wallace is one that’s really into it. Chris Whitney is another; he and I were into it when I was in Washington playing there.”
As of recently, Wallace hasn’t slowed down his collecting and racing habits. In 2018, a trailer popped up on YouTube presenting a new show by Wallace that would introduce a broader audience to the RC car world.
While nothing has come in relation to the show since, Wallace does have a company that sells different RC car parts and bodies. Ironically, it likely isn’t a coincidence that the RC car enthusiast would win an NBA championship with the Motor City.
As we bid farewell to the world of NBA stars and their extraordinary hobbies, we are left with a newfound appreciation for the multifaceted nature of these athletes. Turner’s Lego collection, Lopez’s love for comics, and Wallace’s passion for RC cars have shown us that beyond their skills on the basketball court, these players are individuals with diverse interests and pursuits.
Their hobbies remind us that even in the high-stakes world of professional sports, there’s room for creativity, imagination, and the pursuit of joy outside the game.
So, the next time we see these players dominating the court, let’s remember the fascinating worlds they’ve built outside of basketball – worlds filled with Legos, comics, and RC cars, reflecting the unique and unexpected passions that make them truly remarkable.
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