Cover Stories The Floor General: Sinqua Walls is Making Plays
The L.A. Watts Times speaks with Sinqua Walls, star of the 2023 reimagined film, "White Men Can't Jump" which is streaming now on Hulu. Perfectly cast in the title role of “Kamal,” Walls is a former Division 1 basketball player for the University of San Francisco.
In the film, Kamal’s dream of playing in the NBA is cut short due to an altercation.
Presented with another shot to achieve his lifelong dream by teaming up with an unlikely ally named “Jeremy” (Jack Harlow), Kamal has to confront his anger issues head-on or risk losing his second chance.
In the latest iteration of the film, Jeremy teaches Kamal about meditation as a way to channel his anger. “I loved that meditation was used to bring these two characters together,” said Walls.
“The original had so many great elements of what was current to the times in 1992 in terms of race relations, stereotypes, and how you're bringing two people from two different worlds together under the umbrella of basketball.
With this 2023 remix, I love that we're current with the evolution of mental health. There's much more of a push for us to be holistically healthy, not just physically but mentally and spiritually as well.”
When asked what he hopes Black men will glean from the inclusion of the mental health awareness storyline, Walls said, “It’s okay to get the assistance that you need to evolve to a space where you can be healthy mentally not just for yourself but inadvertently for all of the people around you.
“Mental health is so important in every aspect of life. I hope that it demystifies the idea of getting that type of help. Being a strong individual who also needs help, doesn't mean you're weak, it just means you need assistance in certain areas because no one is completely perfect, we're always a work in progress. So I hope it gives people the peace, support, and grace to seek that help as well.”
A differentiating aspect between the original “White Men Can’t Jump” and the “remix” is the added details in Kamal’s backstory in regard to life after high school. The journey to becoming a professional athlete is typically nurtured from childhood.
Despite the fact that only 1.2% of collegiate basketball players make it into the NBA according to an April 2020 NCAA study, less emphasis is placed on the importance of having a backup plan. Having played basketball since the age of six, Walls could relate to his character’s plight of having to affirm himself and find an identity outside of basketball.
“I grew up in the basketball community from the time I was a child. So [I understand] the energy, intention, and motivation of what drives someone to want to be on their journey, and then you reach a point where you realize your dreams are going to get deferred, what comes with that? What's that experience like when you have to make that final decision and say this is no longer my path? How do you sit with that regret or that guilt? How do you find that new balance because for so long you've defined yourself by this one aspect of life?”
Walls continues, “Much like myself in certain areas, when I had to stop playing basketball, I understood and could relate to what Kamal was going through because in one instance you've defined yourself as a basketball player but who are you truly? What is your identity? And that's the discovery.”
When asked what advice he would share with young men on the importance of developing a multitude of dreams and aspirations outside of playing professional sports? He said, “I want to inspire young Black men and even adults to know that it's okay to have more than one thing that you're passionate about, you can nurture it all.
“So many times people think they have to define themselves as one thing because society is telling them so. Society is saying your value is based on “this” so you have to live in this as opposed to being able to define yourself by your own ideas, values, and all the fluidity that we have as human beings.
Instead of letting the world define you and tell you that you can only be one thing, ask yourself, how many things can I be effective in and what’s my truth?
“Whether it's acting, music, finance, or writing, you can do all of those things and there will be a path there as you progress through life."
He continued, "One of the biggest things that basketball instilled within me, I see so many parallels from my time on the court as I do in life so I think that's always going to be a helpful tool. You can always have duality and balance and that applies to a multitude of things.”
The L.A. Watts Times wrapped up the conversation with Walls by asking him about his experience working with Calmatic as well as his favorite locations in the film.
“There were so many things that Calmatic does phenomenally well, I think he's one of the most talented visual directors that we have in this business. There was no one better to tell this story not just because of his vast knowledge of the history of Los Angeles, but because his visual aptitude for storytelling is so amazing. I don't think anyone else could have executed this film any better because of his gifts and talents,” said Walls.
He added, “Shooting in Leimert Park and Watts was amazing. We had this one location by the Korean Bell of Friendship where we played in an outdoor court with a beautiful ocean view. Those scenes were some of my favorites. But honestly, every day shooting this film was a gift and I know I don't just have that perspective I think a lot of us do.
“Every day we showed up to set with the same intention which was to create our ‘love letter to L.A.,’ which also pays so much respect to the original film and thanks them for what they've done for us so that we could be here. We understood the responsibility and the magnitude. Every day for me was a joy because I got a chance to uplift everything that came before us.”
“White Men Can’t Jump” is streaming now on Hulu.