'Hustle' on Netflix: Is Bo Cruz a real NBA player? All you need to know about the man behind the role
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Adam Sandler never ceases to surprise audiences with his phenomenal acting and the projects he takes on. 'Hustle' released on Netflix on 3 June 2022, with a plot that delves deep into the world of NBA and the idea of following one's dreams. Though it has been a year since the movie came out, there are many interesting stories behind the cast and creation of the movie. Today, we're going to dive into the story of Bo Cruz, who is among the characters shown in the movie.
The story of 'Hustle' is told from the perspective of Adam Sandler's character, Stanley Sugerman, but the story narrated is of a fictional NBA player. Sugerman is an international scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, and on one of his "scout" trips to Spain, he stumbles upon the incredibly talented Cruz. From then starts the story of a dreamer who walks and talks NBA.
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Who is Bo Cruz?
'Hustle' is not based on a true story, but because of an incredible cast, the movie blurs the fine line between fiction and reality. A number of prominent NBA stars have starred in 'Hustle', including Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Dirk Nowitzki, Trae Young and Luka Dončić. Cruz is played by Juancho Hernangomez, an NBA player from Spain. The character was created by Taylor Materne and Will Fetters. Though his story isn't based on real-life events, his basketball skills are as real as they can be. Hernangomez is a real-life basketball player, with no prior acting experience. That might be very hard to believe considering his performance in 'Hustle'. The sports-drama was something he took on while being bored during theCovid-19 pandemic, that disrupted basketball games.
Is Juancho Hernangomez a real NBA player?
Despite being a fictional character, Cruz and Hernangomez share a lot of similarities. For example both Cruz and Hernangomez are from Spain. Born in 1995, Hernangomez started showing a knack and love for basketball and started playing the sport when he was 17 after he signed a contract with CB Estudiantes in 2012. Since then, there has been no looking back for the NBA player. He played on Spain's bronze medal-winning team in the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship and the silver medal-winning teams that competed at the European Under-20 Championship in 2014 and 2015. By the end of the 2016 season, Hernangómez won the ACB Best Young Player Award. Later, he was declared as the NBA draft selection of the year 2016.
Hernangomez comes from a family of basketball champions. His mother, Margarita Geuer, was a former Spanish basketball player who represented Spain from 1985 to 1993 and won a gold medal at the 1993 European Championship. His sister, Andrea, is currently playing for Estudiantes' youth team. The only difference between Cruz and Hernangomez is that while the former is an outsider who was discovered for being an outstanding talent, the latter has been in and around the world of professional basketball his entire life. He is currently playing as a power forward position for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA.
