Throwback to when Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, and Bo Jackson became animated crime-fighters in 90s cult cartoon ProStars
In 1991, NBC's 'ProStars' reimagined sports icons Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, and Bo Jackson as animated superheroes fighting crime (Image via YouTube)
Before the Marvel Universe or the superhero craze took over pop culture, three real-life legends—Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, and Bo Jackson—tried their hand at saving the world in a truly unique way.
In 1991, NBC aired a bold Saturday morning cartoon series called ProStars, which turned these athletic giants into animated superheroes on a mission to help kids and fight crime. While the show only lasted a single season, it remains a memorable experiment in blending sports fame with cartoon heroism.
The surprising crossover of sports and Saturday morning cartoons
At the time, Gretzky was the NHL's biggest name, Jordan was dominating the NBA, and Jackson was a rare multi-sport icon.
Capitalizing on their mainstream popularity, ProStars imagined the trio operating out of "Wayneom's Gym," a quirky base led by a character called Mom. From there, they launched into over-the-top missions using sports-themed gadgets—like Gretzky's boomerang hockey pucks, Jordan's basketball gear, and Bo's all-around athletic might.
While the premise was ambitious, the execution didn't quite deliver. Though each episode opened with live-action clips of the athletes answering fan mail and offering moral lessons, none of the stars voiced their animated counterparts.
This disconnect, coupled with flat animation and overly simplistic writing, kept the show from truly taking off.
More than a cartoon—it was a 90s time capsule
Despite its shortcomings, ProStars still holds nostalgic value. Its theme song proudly proclaimed, 'ProStars, it's all about helping kids!'—a reflection of the show's attempt to mix entertainment with education. Even with exaggerated portrayals and awkward humor, the series showcased how massive these athletes' influence was in the early '90s.
Critics may have panned the show for its outdated stereotypes and lack of real athlete involvement, but fans remember it for the novelty and audacity of the concept. In a world where athletes rarely stepped beyond their sport, ProStars dared to reimagine them as larger-than-life heroes fighting for good.
Also Read:
Why Wayne Gretzky's son Trevor picked baseball over hockey despite growing up in the Great One's shadow
In hindsight, the cartoon was less about the battles won and more about the cultural moment it captured—a time when Gretzky, Jordan, and Jackson were so universally admired, they could save the day not just on the ice, court, or field, but in the world of Saturday morning cartoons.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Pink Villa
26 minutes ago
- Pink Villa
Why did Kim Soo Hyun mention in livestream dispatch police to Garosero's office? YouTuber claims 'press suppression'
The controversy involving Kim Soo Hyun and the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute escalated again on June 13, 2025. Seoul police were dispatched to the channel's office in Shinsa-dong. The incident came after the channel aired a live broadcast. The viewers say it may have violated a court-issued stalking restriction involving the actor. Live broadcast prompts immediate reaction According to reports, the latest stream featured Kim Soo Hyun 's name prominently in the video thumbnail before it went live. This triggered a wave of concern among netizens. They suspected the move could be a violation of the court's provisional measure. The order bars Kim Se Ui, the figurehead of Garosero, from producing or publishing content related to the actor. As viewers witnessed the stream unfold in real time, multiple individuals reported the video to the police. It prompted immediate action from authorities. Police visit and verbal warning Seoul's police responded swiftly, visiting the YouTube studio and confronting Kim Se Ui directly. Officers reportedly informed him of the provisional stalking measure in place and issued a verbal warning. They urged caution in any further content referencing Kim Soo Hyun. The interaction was brief, and officers departed soon after, but the implications were significant. When asked by the media about the specifics of the warning or whether legal procedures would follow, police declined to elaborate. They stated they could not provide detailed confirmation at this stage. Kim Se Ui responds Despite the police's intervention, Kim Se Ui addressed the situation directly during the same broadcast. Visibly frustrated, he stated, 'The police rang the doorbell and interrupted me while I was on a live broadcast. This is an apparent suppression of the press.' Stalking order The visit follows an earlier decision by the Seoul Central District Court, which imposed a provisional stalking order against Kim Se Ui. It restricts his ability to reference or contact Kim Soo Hyun. The YouTuber had appealed the court's decision, but the appeal was dismissed, leaving the order intact. Garosero's role in controversy Garosero Research Institute has been at the center of the firestorm surrounding the late actress Kim Sae Ron and her alleged relationship with Kim Soo Hyun. The channel has repeatedly published videos making serious claims about the actor. Many of which remain unverified. Backed by members of Kim Sae Ron's family, Garosero alleges that Kim Soo Hyun was in a romantic relationship with the actress for six years. It allegedly began when she was still underage. However, Kim Soo Hyun firmly denied the accusations. He states that the actor and Kim Sae Ron were in a relationship for only one year, and only after she became a legal adult.
NDTV
43 minutes ago
- NDTV
Khan Sir Reveals Why His Wife Wore Veil At Wedding Reception: "It Was My..."
Popular educator and YouTuber Khan Sir has revealed the reason why his wife was in a red veil (ghoonghat) during one of the wedding functions. Khan Sir, whose real name is reportedly Faisal Khan, got married in an intimate ceremony in Bihar last month before hosting a grand reception for family, friends and relatives. However, the celebrations were overshadowed when social media users criticised Khan Sir over his wife's veiled look. Addressing the issue on a recent podcast with ANI, Khan Sir said it was his wife's decision to keep the veil as she wanted to stand out from the rest of the gathering. "It was my wife's decision to wear the veil at the reception. She said it was her childhood dream and that every girl dreams of becoming a bride with a veil. As per her, the bride has a different identity wearing the veil in a crowd of people," said Khan Sir. "She said since everyone is already dressed at the reception, the veil would help her stand out. I told her people would blame me, to which she replied, 'No, it's my childhood dream'. She was stubborn that she wanted to be this way, and at the end, I said okay," he added. Quizzed if the online backlash affected him, Khan Sir replied: "No, we come from a village. And we cannot leave the village behind." View this post on Instagram A post shared by ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash (@podcast_ani) 'Got married quietly because' As for why he got married in a hush-hush way, Khan Sir revealed it was due to the military conflict between India and Pakistan. "I did not tell you guys one thing: when the war was on, I got married," he could be heard telling a class of students in one of the videos circulating on social media. "Initially I wanted to put off the wedding and go and help the soldiers fighting the enemy at the borders. But things had been planned by my parents and they were distraught." "Finally, I relented. I cursed the Pakistanis for their sudden attack and agreed to tie the knot, but on the condition that nobody would be invited." Khan Sir runs the Khan GS Research Centre in Patna and also has a YouTube channel by the same name. As of now, he has 24.7 million subscribers and features around 400 videos.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
MrBeast drops new video release date, teaser; excited netizens react, ‘$4M and 400+ days for a YouTube…'
YouTube's most popular star MrBeast is creating a stir online after he dropped new video release date and few lines teasing about his upcoming video. Let's find out what he said and how the internet is buzzing with excitement. The caption to the post on X states, 'Some stats for my next YouTube video.' It further notes that it took over 400 days to create the latest video 'from set build to final edit,' including 171 days of filming. For 11,000 hours of footage, MrBeast spent more than $4,000,000. The post adds, 'If you guys don't like my next YouTube video I'll cry.' Reacting to the big budget video, a user inquired about its release date to which the influencer replied, 'Next Saturday!' which is June 21. A flurry of social media reactions flooded online as one user stated, "Is it safe to get excited yet or nah?" Another user remarked, 'Remember that one Saturday is a video on the main channel, another Saturday is a video on the gaming channel.' A third user asked, 'Expected ROI?' A fourth user commented, 'Thanks Jimmy, can't wait.' Jimmy Donaldson, who grew from an 11-year-old kid YouTuber into a $5 billion business mogul, boasts a massive 405 million subscribers on Google's video platform. His last video was '$1 vs $500,000 Romantic Date' posted on June 7. Jimmy Donaldson earns more from his $5 billion Beast Industries-held chocolate business — Feastables — than from all his video content, Bloomberg report released on March 11 states. Feastables recorded $250 million in sales in 2024 with a profit exceeding $20 million. As per the report, his media business registered sales similar to Feastables but logged in a loss of nearly $80 million as video productions for his YouTube channel is expensive. His unique and innovative challenges require a staff of 200 and a budget around $3-4 million, Bloomberg reported.
