* AdaptationDisplacement: Not a lot of younger fans remember the original Nike commercials.
* {{Adorkable}}: WesternAnimation/BugsBunny. Whenever he's around WesternAnimation/LolaBunny, he gets all goofy and tongue-tied.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: While the Nerdlucks transformation into Monstars gives them some AcquiredSituationalNarcissism, they demonstrate some viciousness even prior to that moment. Given Swackhammer's BadBoss behavior to them and how they cower after losing the game, it's likely that after dealing with his horrible treatment for so long that they're taking out their resentment for that treatment out on others, now that they have the power to do so.
* AlternativeJokeInterpretation: When Creator/BillMurray shows up for the climax as a borderline DeusExMachina, WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck asks him how he got there and Murray replies, "The producer's a friend of mine." Either Daffy is questioning how Murray got into the WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes world, and the answer is that Murray knows the producer of Looney Tunes, or they're raising the very valid question of what Bill Murray is doing in a Looney Tunes/NBA crossover movie in the first place, in which case the producer in question would be the film's producer, Creator/IvanReitman, who was indeed a friend of Murray's. Judging from the disgusted reactions from Daffy (and [[EvenEvilHasStandards the leader of the Monstars]]), they took the latter interpretation.
* AngstWhatAngst: While he's clearly weirded out a bit, UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan responds to being abducted by the Looney Tunes so that he may help them avoid slavery by defeating aliens in a game of basketball [[DullSurprise remarkably well]].
* AssPull: Creator/BillMurray's appearance at the end. He's intended to be a ChekhovsGunman (as he appears earlier as one of Michael Jordan's golfing buddies and shares his dream of playing in the NBA), but that doesn't explain why [[DeusExMachina he just so happens to be at the game in full Tune Squad garb the exact moment they need a new player]] (other than "[[RuleOfFunny the producer is a friend of mine and he let me join]]"). Averted by the alternate ending, in which the Roadrunner shows up as a last-minute player instead.
* AwardSnub: Aside from "I Believe I Can Fly" by Music/RKelly not being recognized, neither were the Diane Warren written pop ballads "For You I Will" by Music/{{Monica}} and "I Turn to You" by All-4-One--both of which were admittedly later in the movie's end credits though.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The movie's soundtrack is ''highly'' revered, even going 6x Platinum, and it's not hard to see why:
** The movie's theme song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC6mvLZjN-M "Space Jam"]] by Quad City DJ's - upbeat, energetic song that plays during the opening credits while the history of Michael Jordan before the events of the movie is shown.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4_3PVFSUxE "Hit 'em High"]] [[Main/VillainSong Monstars theme song]] which plays when the Monstar's enter the stadium before the match starts.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nendMLrpI-s "Let's Get Ready To Rumble"]] which is essentialy movie's second theme song, and plays during the climatic match between Tunes and Monstars.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVgfWBzaBtg "Pump Up The Jam"]] which plays before the climatic match and when the Tunes are getting ready to fight against the Monstars.
** The iconic [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFN3l2NuoE0 "I Believe I Can Fly"]] performed by Music/RKelly.
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bjXtZxnokA "I Turn To You"]] by All-4-One which plays at the end of the credits. The perfect song to end such a iconic and awesome movie.
** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__gZ2D9oXrg movie's epic version]] of [[Franchise/LooneyTunes series]] theme song "Merrily We Roll Along" composed by Music/JamesNewtonHoward. If there was one composer who would bring such an iconic [[{{Pun}} tune]] to the big screen, it was him.
* BadassDecay:
** Many ''Franchise/LooneyTunes'' fans, and even veterans of the creative team such as Creator/ChuckJones himself, expressed the unlikeliness that WesternAnimation/BugsBunny would need such an elaborate amount of planning and assistance to take out the five dunderheaded Monstars. This also applies to the other Tunes as well, who get decimated in the first half before returning the favor in the second, and then inexplicably getting beaten even worse afterwards. Though it's worth noting, a few {{Butt Monkey}}s ''do'' get to show off more than usual, most noticeably Daffy who embraces his CrazyIsCool side much more than he did in prior years, being one of the only teammates to make it all the way to the end and remaining useful throughout.
** The Monstars weirdly zigzag this. After appearing to be unstoppable and [[CurbStompBattle Curb Stomping]] the Looney Tunes in the first half of the game, the Looney Tunes then turn the tables, making the villains look like total jokes. Then after a brief talk with Swackhammer, they suddenly get their mojo back and proceed to put almost the entire team of toons out of commission, bringing this trope back around again to the other team. This could be chalked up to them no longer trying to score and focusing entirely on abusing the toons, but given how well their opponents were just playing, and the fact that they were already dishing out plenty of pain in the first half, the whole thing is still fairly questionable.
* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** WesternAnimation/LolaBunny. Some fans see her as a prime example of everything wrong with positive discrimination, seeing as she exists just to create more diversity among the [[TheSmurfettePrinciple mostly-male Looney Tunes]] but has [[FlatCharacter no defining personality]] beyond [[MsFanservice eye candy]] anyway, nor does she [[ImmuneToSlapstick participate in any of the slapstick]] (which sticks out even more in a scenario where ''everyone'', even the franchise's usual {{Comically Invincible Hero}}es and the ''live-action characters'', are suffering cartoon beatings but her). Others enjoy her {{tomboy}}ish attitude and the fact that she leans into her sex appeal, as evidence that she has at least ''some'' personality worth merit (or they just like the fanservice). A third faction exists that says that she has [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter the makings of a good character]] that just aren't explored because she's too bogged down with her more superficial traits. Her later appearances in the franchise downplayed her [[ImmuneToSlapstick Immunity To Slapstick]] and turned her into a CloudCuckoolander more at home among the other Looney Tunes, which [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap won over the fans who had originally criticized her]].
** Some fans don't care for Stan as they find his obsession with Michael creepy. Others like him due to his devotion to Jordan and how he actually manages to help in the end.
** Michael Jordan's portrayal. Some find the fictional Michael to be a likable and charismatic [[TheStraightMan Straight Man]], while others think he's one note and boring. There are fans who enjoy his normal HumbleHero status, but some think he'd have been more interesting if he represented the real life Jordan's more passionately competitive nature. And then there's the whole matter of whether or not his performance is good/passable as detailed under BrokenBase.
* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Besides starring Michael Jordan, the movie is mainly well known for introducing [[MsFanservice Lola Bunny.]] To the point when it was revealed that Lola's design was changed in the then-upcoming sequel, she trended on Website/{{Twitter}} and got mainstream news coverage.
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment:
** WesternAnimation/ElmerFudd and WesternAnimation/YosemiteSam shooting Bupkus' teeth in {{Ass Kicking Pose}}s with guns definitely counts [[note]]It's also an obvious ShoutOut to ''Film/PulpFiction''[[/note]]. It doesn't help that the scene is cut away from unrealistically quickly.
** The dark ArtShift animated imagination scene after Michael Jordan raises the stakes for the basketball game with Swackhammer, imagining what would happen if he succeeds in winning and getting Jordan for Moron Mountain. It may seem confusing to the viewers if this scene was either Swackhammer fantasizing, or rather in Michael's imagination. Plus, while it serves as part of the plot, it is also never brought up or heard of again for the rest of the movie.
* BrokenBase:
** Michael Jordan's acting. Some feel he was terrible and wooden, while others felt he did a fine job, considering his lack of acting experience and the fact he was interacting with nothing while actually shooting the film.
** While his Elmer has been fairly well-received, Creator/BillyWest's Bugs is rather divisive. Some felt he did a great job, others thought he was completely off.
** Likewise, Creator/DeeBradleyBaker's Daffy was also rather contested, with some liking it and others thinking that he didn't sound anything like Daffy. Most of the folks that criticized his take have stated that they thought he did better as Daffy in ''WesternAnimation/WabbitALooneyTunesProduction''.
* CharacterRerailment: Zigzagged. While the film betrays a lot of mythos for modern humor and plot convenience, there's a lot more references to the earlier shorts than most contemporary pieces. [[WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck Daffy]] and Tweety in particular show a lot more shades of their wackier 40s Creator/BobClampett-era personas. This likely only further annoyed fans of the standard 50s-onward formulas.
* CoveredUp: The soundtrack offers cases in both ways, on the giving side with Music/{{Seal}}'s cover of Music/SteveMillerBand's "Fly Like An Eagle", and the receiving one with "I Turn to You", as All-4-One recorded it but the song only took off through Music/ChristinaAguilera.
* CrazyIsCool: While they sadly get their butts kicked for most of the game, when the Looney Tunes embrace their slapstick roots in the second half, the CurbStompBattle they dish out is a thing to behold.
* CriticalDissonance: The film wasn't popular with critics at the time it came out (barring a [[Creator/GeneSiskel few]] [[Creator/RogerEbert famous]] [[Creator/LeonardMaltin exceptions]]) but audiences were more positive, and most people remember the film fondly.
* EnsembleDarkhorse:
** Though the film centers around UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, Charles Barkley receives most of the focus in the various [[MemeticMutation remixes of the theme song]]. This is likely in no small part due to the latter's role as main character of ''VideoGame/BarkleyShutUpAndJamGaiden''.
** The Monstars are among the most badass and competent villains the Looney Tunes have ever come up against, so they have a pretty strong fan following. The standard Nerdluck forms are also pretty charming and humorous, meshing well with the other ''Looney Tunes'' characters.
** Creator/BillMurray, being [[SugarWiki/RuleOfSeanConnery Bill Murray]], is naturally this to some even though he comes out of nowhere at the end of the movie.
* EvilIsCool: The Monstars for being...well, Monstars.
* FairForItsDay: As pointed out [[https://www.bustle.com/articles/194744-defending-space-jams-lola-bunny-because-she-was-a-flawed-but-necessary-heroine in this article,]] WesternAnimation/LolaBunny is a fairly FlatCharacter, irrelevant to the plot and also very sexualized, especially in a children's movie. However, she is a heroine with whom girls can identify, she is really skilled as an athlete and also does not allow anyone to call her "doll". And her shorts are appropriate for playing basketball, and the midriff-baring crop top was mainstream [[TheNineties '90s]] fashion. As Creator/LianaK [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMzSEbdXswk pointed out]], the bare midriff was actually a cultural response to the AIDS epidemic and a sartorial slogan advocating safe sex.
-->"This historical context is extremely important when we're judging female coded characters of that time. And to rip the historical context out of that, and to insist that Lola Bunny from 1996 is not associated with authenticity of strong capable females? You're forgetting your history...and there is nothing more strong, capable and authentic than making a statement that you own your body and nobody is going to violate that."
* FetishRetardant: For many, Lola Bunny being extremely sexualized is more disturbing than titillating [[BestialityIsDepraved given she's a rabbit]]. For others, it... [[PopularWithFurries awakened something]].
* GatewaySeries: If [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wsC2Y_MbOk Zach LaVine]] is any indication, the movie must have convinced some kids from the nineties to start playing basketball.
* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The movie saw much more positive reception in Europe probably thanks to professional actors dubbing over Michael Jordan (and thus, at least to some extent, his acting) and local distributors toning down and removing the more obnoxious ProductPlacement.
** While the film is successful and fondly well remembered in it's home country America, it's much more popular and more successful in the UK, Mexico, and Australia [[https://m.the-numbers.com/movie/Space-Jam#tab=international as box office numbers show]], and in Mexico's case, similar to Europe, also has a positive reception by toning down and removing all mentions of the ProductPlacement in it's dub, and has [[{{Woolseyism}} a great localized dub]], which is to be expected with any ''Looney Tunes'' Mexican Spanish dubs.
* HarsherInHindsight:
** The jokes around Shawn Bradley losing his motor functions and being hospitalized as a result of his talent being stolen have become this after Bradley was paralyzed in a biking accident in January 2021.
** Daffy's complaint about them not getting royalties for merchandise is funny at first. But it becomes less funny if one knows that Chuck Jones once complained in the late '90s that over the years, it always annoyed him that he, and the other creators (such as Creator/FrizFreleng), never got any kind of royalties for Looney Tunes' merchandise, despite them being the actual creators of these characters.
** Michael and Juanita Jordan (portrayed by Theresa Randle in the film) divorced in 2006.
** When the league can't find out why several stars mysteriously lost their talent, the NBA shuts itself down as a safety precaution. The real NBA would be forced to do exactly this in March 2020 due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, when Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert testing positive became a national flashpoint that this mysterious virus was going to tip over into a full-blown pandemic. The NBA shut down for months before resuming the season in an isolated arena with no fans, called the Bubble.
* HeartwarmingInHindsight: The producers built Michael Jordan (then retired from basketball) a custom court so he could practice his moves to look good for the movie. He credits this with helping him make his comeback when he un-retired, and reportedly the pick-up games between Jordan and other visiting NBA players were the stuff of legend.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** In the last weeks of 2010, blogger Jonah Peretti discovered that the official website for this movie was [[http://www.slashfilm.com/lol-original-space-jam-website/ still up and running, and untouched since 1996]]. [[https://www.spacejam.com/1996/ Go forth, and see]] [[DesignStudentsOrgasm what the internet was like]] [[TechnologyMarchesOn back in the dial-up era!]] ([[http://www.rollingstone.com/sports/features/space-jam-forever-the-website-that-wouldnt-die-20150819 as later explained]], there was ProtectionFromEditors given the studio heads [[ItWillNeverCatchOn barely cared about the internet]], leading to a much informal language, and many a EasterEgg - for instance, the source code has hidden jokes and {{Shout Out}}s such as [[Music/VanHalen ]])
** In 1995, there was a basketball game similar to ''VideoGame/NBAJam'' called ''VideoGame/LooneyTunesBBall'' for the [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]]. One year later, ''Space Jam'' comes out, complete with a LicensedGame of its own for both the Platform/PlayStation and Platform/SegaSaturn using the prior game's engine. It's even funnier if you recall that, in the beginning of the movie, the Looney Tunes don't know how to play basketball, despite ''Looney Tunes B-Ball'' coming out ''before'' the movie. It's doubly hilarious in the case of Jordan, as the ''Space Jam'' game was the closest he ever came to officially being in an ''NBA Jam'' game, since neither [[Creator/MidwayGames Midway]] or Creator/{{Acclaim}} could afford his asking price in having him appear for ''NBA Jam'' itself.
** Bugs' line about Lola supposedly being "nuts" about him became this after ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'' came out and reimagined her as a [[GenkiGirl quirky]] {{Yandere}} who has feelings for him from the start and there is even a song about it.
** In 2011, Website/CollegeHumor made a parody video in which Lebron James decides to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere desert the Tune Squad to join the MonStars]]. 25 years later, [=LeBron=] appeared in [[Film/SpaceJamANewLegacy the sequel]].
** Daffy describes Jordan's world as "[=3D=] Land", which would become the subtitle of a certain [[VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand 3DS Mario game]] 15 years later (both works were even released in the same month). Naturally, the internet [[MemeticMutation had a field day with this]] once the game's title was revealed.
* JustHereForGodzilla: Some reviewers insist that the only reason to watch the movie is for the Looney Tunes characters and the actual basketball game at the end. Some were only there for Michael Jordan. Others were only there for Lola Bunny.
* MemeticBystander: Marvin the Martian gets this due to him never calling any of the blatantly illegal moves on both sides.
* MemeticMutation:
** People seem to love remixing the ''Space Jam'' theme song with other songs. [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/slam-remix-vs-quad-city-djs The internet has had a field day with this.]]
** "Perhaps I could be of some assistance."
** "Now that's a real fine school, real fine school, you can get a first-class education there."
** Michael's Secret Stuff[[note]]Used jokingly by NBA fans whenever a team that's losing suddenly rallies a comeback in the second half of the game.[[/note]]
** "Don't Change the [[https://spacejam.com/ Space Jam Website!]]"[[note]]The original ''Space Jam'' website went up in 1996 and hadn't been touched in the slightest until it was moved to a [[https://www.spacejam.com/1996/ different domain]] so the original URL could promote ''Film/SpaceJamANewLegacy''. ''A New Legacy'' also got a similar {{Retraux}} [[https://www.spacejam.com/2021/ website]] based on its 1996 predecessor. [[/note]]
** Furry Creator/NatalieDormer [[labelnote:Explanation]]Lola Bunny has seen many, ''many'' comparisons to actress Natalie Dormer across the Internet by virtue of bearing a surprisingly heavy resemblance to her, along with their similar roles as MsFanservice in their respective works.[[/labelnote]]
** To your house, in [=3D=] Land? [[labelnote:Explanation]]A line that Daffy says in response to Michael Jordan saying he needs to go home to get his basketball gear became popular, often [[HilariousInHindsight referencing]] ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand''.[[/labelnote]]
* {{Narm}}:
** The scene where Stan comes in to Jordan and the Looney Tunes, roughed up, and his line: "The Monstars stole the talent from the NBA players!" is delivered in such a corny fashion you'll stifle a laugh at the scene. It doesn't help that he delivers the line as if it's a major revelation for both the characters ''and the audience'', who have known about it from the first half of the movie!
** As pointed out by ''Pitch Meeting'' and the [[WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGoSeeSpaceJam Teen Titans]], the idea that Michael Jordan's residence is not a mansion, but rather a normal house in the middle of surburbia is arguably the least realistic part of a movie where MJ fights aliens alongside the Looney Tunes. To wit, Jordan's personal wealth is so massive that his ex-wife Juanita was awarded over ''$160 million'' in the divorce settlement.
** For many, Michael Jordan's acting provides more laughs than the actual jokes on account of Jordan reacting with little more than DullSurprise to his wildly unconventional surroundings.
** The whole sequence where Bugs saves Lola is pretty hard to take seriously given all the other Looney Tunes and even the live-action players [[AmusingInjuries have taken quite a beating]], [[DoubleStandard yet when this slapstick is about to befall an attractive girl]], it's suddenly played for straight drama. Again, as ''Pitch Meeting'' noted...
--->'''Producer:''' Wait, people have been getting their butts kicked the whole time. Why is this dramatic?\\
'''Writer:''' [[WouldNotHitAGirl He's gonna hit a girl. You can't do that.]]\\
'''Producer:''' What about [[WouldHarmASenior Granny]]? You said she got crushed.\\
'''Writer:''' Well, [[BeautyIsNeverTarnished she's not hot, so who cares]]?
* NarmCharm:
** The movie as a whole to some. It's silly, cheesy, blatantly commercial, and very much a [[UnintentionalPeriodPiece product of its time]], but for many that's part of what makes it so likable.
** Stan's entry under "Narm" can also fit here since it is not a reveal for the audience (no dramatic revelation) and Daffy describes him as looking like he "had a close encounter with a bug-zapper".
** Few people will actually call Michael Jordan a good actor, but some say that despite his less than impressive performance, MJ still having enough of his real life likability and charisma on display more than makes up for it. The fact that he's not a professional actor and is performing the majority of the movie opposite thin air has also caused a few critics to be a little more forgiving as well.
--->'''Roger Ebert:''' By not forcing himself, by never seeming to try too hard to be funny or urgent, Jordan keeps a certain dignity; he never acts as if he thinks he's a cartoon, too, and that's why he has good chemistry with the Tunes. He's a visitor to Looney-land, not a resident.
** Creator/BillMurray showing up as a DeusExMachina. His appearance is so out of nowhere that [[LampshadeHanging Daffy even questions what he's doing there]] and [[SelfDeprecation rolls his eyes at the celebrity's shoehorned in appearance]]. But as baffling as Murray's role is, it can be excused just because [[SugarWiki/RuleOfSeanConnery Murray is a beloved comedy legend]] and seeing him do his own thing opposite the Looney Tunes for a bit is rather fun. It helps that Murray and the movie are well aware of just how absurd the whole situation is. And given this is Looney Tunes we're talking about, can we really be upset about a plot point relying on RuleOfFunny?
* OlderThanTheyThink: Children who watch this movie before diving deeply into the ''Looney Tunes'' library might not realize that Bugs and his gang meeting characters from live-action Warner Bros. movies don't mark a new gimmick; to name one example from the Golden Age of Hollywood, 1949's ''WesternAnimation/RabbitHood'' has Bugs meet Myth/RobinHood by splicing in clips from 1938's ''Film/TheAdventuresOfRobinHood''.
* PopularWithFurries: [[MsFanservice Lola]] due to being a sexy and athletic {{tomboy}} who wears shorts and [[BareMidriffsAreFeminine bares her midriff]].
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: The PC/PS/Saturn tie-in is a subpar ''VideoGame/NBAJam'' clone with dumb mini-games, LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading, supremely unbalanced gameplay (Jordan has perfect attributes while every Monstar has such poor attributes, they are basically a handicap), and poor graphics more suited for 16-bit machines. And yet it was made by the same developer of the much more serviceable ''Looney Tunes B-Ball'' for the SNES.
* QuestionableCasting:
** UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan may be winsome and charming in real life, but an actor he is not. Having [[NonActorVehicle a non actor star in a motion picture is one thing]], but having him spend most of the film acting opposite the air was a big risk, and many didn't think it payed off. Also an example where he's still the best choice for the role, as nobody but Michael Jordan could've played Michael Jordan. So really, Jordan's casting is a more a problem with the concept of the movie itself.
** While Creator/BillyWest and Creator/DeeBradleyBaker are both beloved voice actors, some felt they were off on their respective turns as Bugs and Daffy, which is pretty bad given they're the two largest toon roles. This would eventually die down over time as the two appeared as the characters more, though West's portrayal as Bugs is still mostly a BrokenBase situation among fans in general due to being the defacto voice for the following years.
** It would seem the movie's budget limited who the casting agency could get to play the "best players in the NBA" who get their talent stolen as the only two players in the movie who can definitely be called two of the best are Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing. Out of the other three, Larry Johnson was the only one who had any kind of success in the league, and even then he would only go on to have two all-star picks to his name. It's clear Muggsy Bogues and Shawn Bradley were only cast in the movie because they happened to be the shortest and (second) tallest player in the league, respectfully.
* RetroactiveRecognition:
** WesternAnimation/TheDoverBoys, most visibly Dick, appear during a crowd reaction to Michael's introduction for the Ultimate Game, nearly ''twenty years'' prior to a resurgence of interest in their short during the early 2010's.
** Patricia Heaton, mere months before ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'' premiered, appears with Creator/DanCastellaneta as a couple at the NBA game in which the nerdlucks steal the players' talent.
** Nerdluck Bupkus -- the purple alien who gains Larry Johnson's talents as a Monstar -- is voiced by then-fifteen-year-old Creator/CatherineReitman (daughter of producer/ghost-director Ivan) years before she would become a successful actress beyond cameos in her father's films.
** A crew example but Korey Coleman of ''WebAnimation/{{Spill}}'' and ''WebVideo/DoubleToasted'' got his start as one of the animators on this movie.
* SoBadItsGood: Some people don't consider this a great movie but find it too dumb and ridiculous to outright hate. It being a ''obvious'' '90s period piece adds to that charm, plus it's just such a corny and silly concept that some argue you can't help but enjoy it.
* SoOkayItsAverage: Those who don't hate the film at least enjoy it for the '90s nostalgia and decent special effects, if not just because they like seeing the Looney Tunes during this particular resurgence of popularity they had at the time. At the very least, it makes you want to watch the classic cartoons afterward.
* SignatureScene: The Looney Tunes returning in the second half to [[CurbStompBattle absolutely decimate]] the Monstars as [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic "Get Ready For This"]] blasts out. Even people who don't care for this film have admitted to enjoying the toons unleashing their CrazyIsCool nature.
* SignatureSong:
** "I Believe I Can Fly" is the most famous song from the extremely successful soundtrack.
** The title track, of course. At the time, it was considered SelfPlagiarism from the Quad City DJ's previous song "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)", but association with the movie easily made it more recognizable.
** "Fly Like an Eagle" is also associated with the movie, not helped by having a VideoFullOfFilmClips.
* SpecialEffectFailure:
** The CGI used to turn Michael Jordan into a ball and inflate Stan ''really'' show their age and veer head-on into the UnintentionalUncannyValley. The basketball arena, also rendered in CGI, also shows its age quite a bit.
** The crowd in the basketball game consisting of minor LT characters, they're obvious cardboard cutouts ripped from the original cartoons. They also float like ghosts, some are larger than they should be, and some are even cloned in the same shot several times.
** The basketballs transform from animated to leather depending on who's handling them.
* TearJerker: The scene of Michael Jordan's press conference announcing his retirement falls into this when he mentions that he's at least glad that his father got to see him play his final game of basketball. The real-life death of his father in 1993 really was what spurred him to give up basketball. It's worse when you remember that Jordan's father was ''murdered''.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
** Some feel this way about Lola. Ignoring the whole positive discrimination thing (and the fact that she's ''not'' a Looney Tune, at least not from the classic era), many like the idea of a {{foil}} for Bugs to potentially snap him out of the chauvinism of the era in which he was created. And then there is the fact that except for ''WesternAnimation/BabyLooneyTunes'' and ''WesternAnimation/TweetysHighFlyingAdventure'', she never appeared again in any ''Looney Tunes'' media until ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow''. Eventually when she returned in the comics and ''The Looney Tunes Show'' (both of which made a better attempt to submerge her with the franchise's cartoon mythos), she received a lot of positive feedback from some fans and is now considered a pretty good addition to the cast.
** As some critics such as Series/SiskelAndEbert noted, the Nerdlucks were among the few new additions from the film that integrated well with the ''Looney Tunes'' franchise, being cartoony likeable villains with funny designs. However they only spend a short portion of the film not in their "Monstar" transformations, and didn't make any major appearances for decades despite the ending's implications.
** The regular Looney Tunes don't get it much better. Aside from Bugs and to a lesser extent Daffy, none of their characteristics are acknowledged, for comedy ''or'' plot. Yosemite Sam, for example, only gets one line. While they all get a chance to shine, some just ''barely'' do, like how WesternAnimation/FoghornLeghorn's only positive contribution to the team is hoisting up Porky for a slam dunk, a moment you'll miss if you blink. Particularly bad is how they all inexplicably go back to getting their butts kicked very shortly after dishing out a CurbStompBattle on the Monstars. And making matters worse is how the brand new and underdeveloped Lola gets more emphasis than the preexisting iconic characters. There's also the fact that less famous toons like Barnyard Dawg and Beaky Buzzard are included on the team, and yet they get almost no screentime, being totally pushed to the side in favor of the already underutilized famous characters.
** While the core concept is built to center around Michael Jordan, the fact that Creator/BillMurray shows up briefly to help the Looney Tunes can make you wonder why they didn't focus on him instead, as unlike Jordan, he's known as an excellent actor, and the comedian feels more at home with the Tunes way than Jordan.
** While his status as a Looney Tune and alien ''does'' make Marvin the Martian's role as referee rather clever, this part means he's completely absent from the film until the game, and causes him to be almost entirely left out of all the slapstick fun. Plus, there's still some questionable logic regarding why one of the most well known, popular Looney Tunes is apparently not at risk of capture like the others.
** While Wile E. Coyote ''has'' appeared without Road Runner before, it's still a bit odd that the former gets to stick around and contribute as a player without his regular costar. It's possible Road Runner wasn't included in the lineup due to his speed being a StoryBreakerPower, and he's invulnerable in his shorts. The alternate ending mentioned above where he shows up instead of Creator/BillMurray may have possibly been the original idea which would have him show up to help play without abusing his power throughout the film. With all this being said, Road Runner ''will'' be playing on the team in the sequel alongside Wile E. and the other toons.
** Speedy Gonzalez is a mere blink and you'll miss it silent cameo. Similar to Road Runner, perhaps his speed was deemed as being too much of an advantage. Much like his fellow speedster, he would be playing in the sequel.
* UglyCute: The Nerdlucks are strangely adorable for squishy alien lumps. Yeah, even their CrossDressingVoices make them these.
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film is so '90s it hurts. No NBA athlete at time of writing (2015) has enjoyed a cultural position like UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan did. The ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cartoons, while old even when the film was released, were still relevant enough in the culture of the time that any child could recognize them due to constant airings of the classic and some modern shorts on television at the time, The Looney Tunes nowadays have faded out in favor of other more modern cartoons, and even big NBA stars like UsefulNotes/LeBronJames haven't enjoyed the pedestal that Jordan had. [[http://www.hollywood.com/movies/space-jam-sequel-lebron-james-wouldnt-work-90s-60226866/ This article goes more into depth about the topic.]] That's not even getting into the less obvious dated aspects like the movie's soundtrack by music artists like Music/RKelly who haven't been seen in a positive light nowadays and its rather dated looking early CGI. Hell, the entire film is largely based on a now-mostly-forgotten crossover ad campaign that had Bugs and Michael Jordan together. WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic even said it was "the most 1996 thing ever created".
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