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'{{no footnotes|date=January 2013}} {{Infobox film | name =Like Mike | image = Like_mike.jpg | caption = | director = [[John Schultz (director)|John Schultz]] | screenplay = Michael Elliot<br>Jordan Moffet | story = Michael Elliot | starring = [[Bow Wow (rapper)|Lil' Bow Wow]]<br />[[Morris Chestnut]]<br />[[Jonathan Lipnicki]]<br />[[Robert Forster]]<br />[[Crispin Glover]]<br />[[Eugene Levy]] | producer = [[Barry Josephson]]<br />Peter Heller | music = [[Richard Gibbs]] | cinematography = Shawn Maurer | editing = [[Peter E. Berger|Peter Berger]]<br />John Pace | studio = [[NBA Entertainment]]<br />Heller Highwater<br />[[Barry Josephson|Josephson Entertainment]] | distributor = [[20th Century Fox|Twentieth Century Fox]] | released = {{Film date|2002|7|3}} | runtime = 99 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $30 million | gross = $62,274,780 }} '''''Like Mike''''' is a 2002 American [[fantasy]] [[sports film|sports]] [[comedy film]], [[film director|directed]] by John Schultz and starring [[Bow Wow (rapper)|Lil' Bow Wow]] in his film debut appearance. It was produced in association with [[NBA Entertainment]] and features cameo appearances by many NBA stars. A 14-year-old orphan becomes an NBA superstar after trying on a pair of sneakers with the faded initials "M.J." inside. The plot is largely similar to ''[[Slam Dunk Ernest]]''. == Plot == Teenage orphan Calvin Cambridge ([[Lil' Bow Wow]]) manages to get tickets to a home game for the struggling [[Los Angeles]] Knights from the team's coach. The next day, Calvin obtains a pair of old [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] Blazers sneakers from a [[Salvation Army]] [[thrift store]] that had reportedly been used by a great basketball player, when he was a boy. The shoes have the initials ''MJ'' written on them, Calvin thinks they used to belong to [[Michael Jordan]]. Calvin's new sneakers are then taken by a bully called Ox, who throws them onto an overhead power line. Calvin tries to retrieve them the same night in a rainstorm, so as to get it when Ox is not around, and when retrieving the sneakers gets hit by a lightning bolt. The next day, Calvin and his friends go to the basketball game between the Knights and the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] with the free tickets. Calvin gets randomly picked to go one-on-one with Knights star Tracy Reynolds in a halftime contest. The shoes apparently give Calvin superstar caliber talent as he wins the contest with a dunk and is signed to a one-day contract by the Knights. After coming off the bench and using his shoes to help the Knights to a late victory against the [[San Antonio Spurs]], Calvin earns a place on the team. Reynolds becomes his mentor through the NBA's mentoring program, as Calvin is a minor. Calvin brings teamwork to the struggling Knights and makes them one of the best teams in the league, traveling around the country and becoming a media star in the process. Calvin also wins the [[slam dunk contest]], after which Tracy gradually respects Calvin. Meanwhile, Stan Bittleman, the greedy (later cruel) head of the orphanage Calvin lives in signs a contract with the team, to cash in all of Calvin's money until he's eighteen, or adopted. When the latter is about to become true, Bittleman steals Calvin's shoes and bets $100,000 against the Knights losing the next game. With the help of Ox and his friends, Calvin subdues the orphanage director and becomes friends with Ox. Ox helps Calvin retrieve his shoes out of Bittleman's safe and they escape from Bittleman and his goons. Calvin then helps the Knights rally back from a late deficit against the [[Toronto Raptors]] and even when the shoes are damaged and no longer work, his pass to Reynolds seals the win and earns the Knights their first playoff berth. After going back to his orphanage, Calvin and his friend Murph get adopted by Tracy and his other friend Reg by a different family but they still keep in touch. It is also revealed that Bittleman is missing because he doesn't have enough money to pay the bet and the Orphanage is now sponsored by the Knights. hiya ad good day!! == Cast == * [[Bow Wow (rapper)|Lil' Bow Wow]] - Calvin Cambridge * [[Morris Chestnut]] as Tracy Reynolds * [[Jonathan Lipnicki]] - Murph * [[Brenda Song]] as Reg Stevens * [[Jesse Plemons]] as Ox * [[Robert Forster]] as Coach Wagner * [[Julius Ritter]] as Marlon * [[Crispin Glover]] as Stan Bittleman * [[Anne Meara]] as Sister Theresa * [[Eugene Levy]] as Frank Bernard * [[Fred Armisen]] as New Age Dad * [[Julie Brown]] as New Age Mom * [[Vanessa L. Williams|Vanessa Williams]] as Pharmacist * [[Jimmy Kimmel]] as Client in Commercial (''uncredited'') * [[John Marshall Jones]] as NBA Player (''uncredited'') == NBA stars == * [[Vince Carter]] * [[Michael Finley]] * [[Steve Francis]] * [[Allen Iverson|Allen E. Iverson]] * [[Jason Kidd]] * [[Dirk Nowitzki]] * [[Desmond Mason]] * [[Tracy McGrady]] * [[Alonzo Mourning]] * [[Steve Nash]] * [[Gary Payton]] * [[Ahmad Rashad]] (''broadcaster'') * [[Jason Richardson]] * [[Michael Doleac]] * * [[David Robinson (basketball)|David M. Robinson]] * [[Reggie Theus]] (''broadcaster'') * [[Gerald Wallace]] * [[Rasheed Wallace]] * [[Chris Webber]] * [[Pat Croce]] (''NBA Owner'') * [[Tom Tolbert]] * [[John Thompson (basketball)|John Thompson]] (''uncredited'') * [[Peter Cornell]] (''uncredited'') == Soundtrack == {{Main|Like Mike (soundtrack)}} A soundtrack containing hip hop and R&B music was released on July 2, 2002 by [[So So Def Recordings]] and [[Epic Soundtrax|Sony Music Soundtrax]]. It peaked at 18 on the [[Billboard 200]] and 10 on the [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]]. == Sequel == A sequel, titled ''[[Like Mike 2: Streetball]]'', was released direct to DVD in 2006. The original characters do not make an appearance, but keeps a similar plot. == Reception == ''Like Mike'' received mixed reviews from critics, as it currently holds a 57% rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]]. === Box office performance === The film opened at #5 with a 3-day gross of $12,179,420 from 2,410 theaters for an average of $5,054 per venue, and a $19,018,444 gross since its Wednesday launch. It closed on November 19, 2002 with a final domestic gross of $51,432,760. The film did not do nearly as well overseas making $10,842,020, but with a total worldwide gross of $62,274,780, it was still a financial success, as the film cost only $30 million to make. == References == {{reflist}} == External links == * {{IMDb title|0308506}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|like_mike}} * {{Amg movie|262739}} {{Michael Jordan}} {{John Schultz}} {{NBA on NBC}} [[Category:2002 films]] [[Category:American basketball films]] [[Category:Fantasy-comedy films]] [[Category:American sports comedy films]] [[Category:Michael Jordan]] [[Category:Children's films]] [[Category:20th Century Fox films]]'