1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Flying High
The LA Lakers centre blazed a trail with his role in the Airplane/Flying High comedy sort of playing himself - he insisted he was co-pilot Roger Murdoch when a small child recognised him but blew his cover in a rage when little Joey said Kareem didn't try on defence.
Perhaps the biggest surprise about Trainwreck is that US basketball sensation LeBron James can act. He's not the only basketballer to stretch his talents off court, but he is the most successful.
2. Ray Allen, He Got Game
Playing the lead role in a Spike Lee drama opposite Denzel Washington is no easy task, especially for someone who'd never acted but reviews for Allen's performance were almost universally positive. After original choice Kobe Bryant dropped out of the project, Allen was chosen by Lee during a game at Madison Square Garden with the director approaching him at half-time during a Knicks versus Milwaukee Bucks game.
3. Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee Hardaway, Blue Chips
This was billed as a movie starring these two budding NBA stars in 1994 but they were very much supporting cast members in what was essentially a coach story focusing on Nick Nolte. The third basketballing "blue chip" was Matt Nover, who later had a forgettable short-lived stint as a Sydney King.
4. Kevin Durant, Thunderstruck
The Oklahoma City Thunder star plays himself in a fantasy movie about his skills magically being passed on to a 16-year-old kid who can't play. The reviews suggest the movie was as good as the plot sounds.
5. Gheorge Muresan, My Giant
Despite his limited grasp of the English language, the 2.3-metre Romanian centre played Billy Crystal's sidekick in the 1998 comedy which was a box-office flop. He also appeared as a ventriloquist in the music video for Eminem's My Name Is.
