Big Red Louie
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Louisville basketball: Cardinals as characters from Stranger Things

By Presley Meyer

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - DECEMBER 08: (L-R) Actors Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin and actress Sadie Sink pose after the Stranger Things panel during day 2 of Argentina Comic Con 2018 at Costa Salguero on December 08, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Ricardo Ceppi/Getty Images for NETFLIX)
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - DECEMBER 08: (L-R) Actors Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin and actress Sadie Sink pose after the Stranger Things panel during day 2 of Argentina Comic Con 2018 at Costa Salguero on December 08, 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Ricardo Ceppi/Getty Images for NETFLIX) /
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PARIS, FRANCE – JULY 04: Joe Keery attends the Stranger Night Paris At Le Grand Rex on July 04, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/Getty Images For Netflix)
PARIS, FRANCE – JULY 04: Joe Keery attends the Stranger Night Paris At Le Grand Rex on July 04, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/Getty Images For Netflix) /

Steve Harrington | Ryan McMahon

Steve Harrington is the coming-of-age character in Stranger Things that made you go from hating him to loving him in a matter of a few short episodes. As he so eloquently put it, “I may be a pretty sh**ty boyfriend, but it turns out I’m actually a pretty damn good babysitter.”

Throughout the three seasons, Steve tries his hand with the ladies but fails over and over again. He wants to be suave, but in reality, he’s just a dude with a big heart and a pretty dope baseball bat and he’s here to save the world. What makes Steve’s character so likable is how relatable he is. He has to come to terms with the fact that life isn’t all about getting girls and looking cool. He later finds joy by befriending and mentoring the younger group of middle school dorks and becomes more accepting of his failed relationship with Nancy.

We all have to come to terms with reality- some earlier than others- but Steve grows up before our eyes and his story reminds most of us of the tough lessons that we learned in our grade school and high school years.

In a very similar fashion, fans love Ryan McMahon because of how relatable he is. He is the “ladies man” on the team, and happily chronicles his long-running relationship on social media. He is also the one that is just the most like “us.”

McMahon is 6’0,” 180-pounds, and he is one of the less athletic players on the team. Still, McMahon has found his niche as a sharp shooting baby-faced assassin. He has one of the more pure strokes on the team and has worked his way into the Louisville basketball rotation as a shooting specialist. He is among the top three-point shooters and free throw shooters in the country, and he does so well enough to earn some serious PT regardless of his capabilities in other areas.

Sure, fans are more inclined to “like” guys like Jordan Nwora and Steven Enoch because their impact could bring Louisville to success at the highest level. However, like Steve Harrington, McMahon is a fan favorite because he seems most like the down-to-earth everyday guy on the team. Like Steve, McMahon seems to wear a chip on his shoulder and has found a way to channel that emotion and be an unexpected leader.

Also, word has it that Dick Vitale saw Steve in high school and loved what he brought to the table.

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