Honestly, if you grew up in the early 2000s, you probably remember Like Mike as that fun, breezy movie where Bow Wow (then Lil' Bow Wow) finds a pair of Michael Jordan’s old sneakers and suddenly becomes an NBA god. It’s a classic "magic shoes" trope. But if you rewatch it today, there is one specific element that feels like it belongs in a completely different, much darker film. I'm talking about Crispin Glover.
His performance as Stan Bittleman is, quite frankly, unsettling.
Most people remember the dunks and the cameos from Allen Iverson or Jason Kidd. They forget that the primary antagonist was played by one of the most eccentric, avant-garde actors in Hollywood history. Seeing the guy who played George McFly and the "Thin Man" in Charlie's Angels playing a greedy orphanage director in a PG-rated family sports comedy is a trip.
The Weirdness of Stan Bittleman
Crispin Glover doesn't really do "normal." Even in a movie aimed at ten-year-olds, he brings this twitchy, high-strung energy that makes every scene he’s in feel slightly dangerous.
Stan Bittleman isn't just a mean boss. He’s a predator of opportunity. He runs the Chesterfield Group Home with an iron fist and a weird obsession with selling knock-off candy bars at Staples Center. While the movie treats this as a comedic subplot, Glover plays it with a level of intensity that’s almost operatic.
He’s basically a Dickensian villain dropped into a world of baggy jerseys and hip-hop soundtracks.
Why Glover Took the Role
You might wonder why an actor known for art-house projects and surrealist filmmaking (like What Is It?) would sign onto a commercial NBA vehicle. At the time, Glover was in a "mainstream" phase, following his success as the creepy assassin in Charlie's Angels.
In production notes from the era, Glover mentioned that Bittleman is a man who has complete control over these kids and uses it for his own advantage. He didn't play it as a cartoon. He played it as a man who genuinely enjoyed the power trip. That’s why it still holds up as a genuinely effective performance—he’s the perfect foil to Calvin Cambridge’s innocence.
Crispin Glover Like Mike: The Gambling Subplot
The climax of the movie actually hinges on Bittleman being a total degenerate. Let’s look at the facts of the plot. Most kids' movies have the villain try to "stop" the hero because of ego. Bittleman does it for cold, hard cash.
- The Contract: He signs a deal with the Knights ensuring all of Calvin’s earnings go to him until the kid is 18.
- The Theft: He steals the magic sneakers and locks them in a safe.
- The Bet: He puts $100,000 against the Knights in the final game.
Think about that for a second. He isn't just a "mean guy." He's a criminal. In the end, when the Knights win, Bittleman doesn't just lose—he vanishes. The movie mentions he’s on the run because of gambling debts. For a kid's movie, that is a remarkably dark ending for a character.
The Epic Movie Connection
If you feel like you’ve seen Glover’s Like Mike persona elsewhere, you aren't crazy. In the 2007 spoof Epic Movie, Glover plays a version of Willy Wonka. If you listen closely to his delivery in that film, he actually reprises his "You're mine now!" line from Like Mike.
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It’s a meta-joke for the five people who were paying close attention to his specific cadence in a basketball movie from five years prior. Glover knows his own brand of "creepy," and he leans into it hard.
A Supporting Cast of Future Stars
While Glover steals every scene he's in, Like Mike was a weirdly prescient scouting ground for talent. You've got:
- Jesse Plemons: Long before Breaking Bad or his Oscar nomination for The Power of the Dog, he was "Ox," the bully who eventually helps Calvin.
- Brenda Song: Before her Disney Channel fame, she was one of the core orphans.
- Eugene Levy: Fresh off American Pie, playing the team’s owner.
But none of them match the sheer "what is happening?" energy of Glover.
Why It Still Matters Today
The "Crispin Glover Like Mike" phenomenon is a prime example of why 2000s studio movies felt different. Studios were willing to cast "weird" actors in standard roles, which gave these films a texture that modern, highly-polished streaming movies often lack.
If you're going back to watch it for the nostalgia, pay attention to Glover’s eyes. He’s always doing something. He’s never just standing there. Whether he's counting candy bar money or threatening a child, he’s fully committed to the bit.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific era of Glover's career or the film's legacy, here are a few things you can actually do:
- Watch the DVD Extras: The behind-the-scenes footage actually shows Glover staying somewhat in character between takes, which explains why the kids in the movie look genuinely intimidated by him.
- Check Out "Willard": Released just a year after Like Mike, this is the "pure" version of Glover’s creepy energy. It’s the perfect double feature if you want to see how he refined that Bittleman-esque twitchiness into a leading role.
- Look for the Soundtrack: The music in Like Mike is a perfect time capsule of 2002. If you want the full experience, the blend of Glover’s eccentricity and the early-aughts rap scene is peak "weird cinema."
The movie is more than just a commercial for the NBA. It’s a showcase of a character actor doing exactly what he does best: making everyone else in the room just a little bit uncomfortable.
To see the full extent of this performance, track down the original 2002 theatrical cut rather than edited-for-TV versions, which often trim Bittleman's more "menacing" non-verbal tics to keep the tone lighter for daytime broadcasts.