The Harlem Globetrotters are basketball entertainment personified. Their combination of genuine sporting skills and creative theatrics have made them a sight to see for almost 100 years, and their latest routine going viral proves they're still relevant.
Stopping in the middle of their game, they begin to re-enact one of the most iconic Disney scenes of all time -you know the one, baby Simba, 'Circle of Life', animal kingdom rejoices, truly goosebump-inducing stuff.
One video of the moment, posted by Chelsea Pearson, has racked up over 500k views and just under 110k likes since it was posted a few weeks ago.
Pearson had been asked to stay at the game until after the first quarter. She told Storyful that she knew the Simba moment was coming as soon as the iconic song started playing.
“We were not aware of what we would be doing,” she said. “But when we heard Circle of Life come on the loudspeaker, we knew our sweet boy would be their Simba.”
What makes the moment even more memorable is that both Simba and the Harlem Globetrotter share the same name! Chandler Mack is the baller that did the lifting, and the little one is named Chandler Pearson.
Mr Mack shared the video with his 21 thousand Instagram followers, saying: “Gotta catch Simba while he’s not expecting it.”
Another ‘Lion King’ routine by the Globetrotters, who have been doing their thing since 1926, went viral. ESPN posted to their Instagram a video of one of the players literally dropping the ball mid-game, running over to a toddler on the sideline, and raising them to the sky as “Circle of liiiiiiiife” blasts through the speakers.
The Globetrotters visited Aotearoa late last year, as far as I can tell there were no Simba moments for any Kiwi kids but I’d bet a ball of a time was had.
