Katy Perry leads star-studded, bumbling basketball team in 'Swish Swish' video

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) - Katy Perry's slapstick persona returns in a big way in her new video for "Swish Swish." The Dave Meyers-directed clip finds the singer leading the worst imaginable basketball team, which features Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin from "Stranger Things") and her backpack dancer Russell Horning along with NBA legend Bill Walton as an announcer, Molly Shannon as a referee and, at half-time, Nick Minaj. The clip arrives, not coincidentally, three days before Perry's stint hosting MTV's Video Music Awards, and came with a high-concept press release that is pasted below.

THE TIGERS AND THE SHEEP SQUARE OFF TODAY IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Katy "Kobe" Perry Is Team Captain For Tigers And Julius "Thor" Bjornsson Leads Sheep

Coaches Molly Shannon (Tigers) And Terry Crews (Sheep) Promise A Must-See Game

Nicki Minaj Headlines Halftime Show

Bill Walton and Rich Eisen Announce Matchup

The Tigers square off today against The Sheep for the Championship in one of the most anticipated matchups of the basketball season. Fans can watch the big game online now HERE.

Katy's comedy chops are in full swing in basetball-themed clip. Image: YouTube
 
Coaches Molly Shannon (Tigers) and Terry Crews (Sheep) promise this will be a must-see game for basketball fans around the world. Given the stellar season the Sheep have had, some commentators have predicted that this David vs. Goliath competition will be "the hottest mess in history." However, Katy "Kobe" Perry, Team Captain for the Tigers, remains optimistic, anticipating an epic game where anything can happen. Haf?or Julius "Thor" Bjornsson, Team Captain for the Sheep, concurred.

Announcers Bill Walton and Rich Eisen will be on hand to deliver the play-by-play. Fans won't miss a move thanks to Dave Meyers and his production crew, who will be courtside, capturing all the action. The game marks the GRAMMYR Award-winning video director's first foray into sports broadcasting.

Both the Tigers and the Sheep have welcomed new players from other walks of life, as reflected in the draft recaps below. Some of the picks proved bewildering for announcer Bill Walton, who asked incredulously, "Where do they find these people?"

The Tigers - 2017 Draft Picks

Katy "Kobe" Perry - Courtside Killer Queen

Russell Horning - "Backpack Kid"

Jenna Ushkowitz from "Glee"

Gaten Matarazzo from "Stranger Things"

Dexter Mayfield - actor, dancer

Christine Sydelko - comedian/influencer

The Sheep - 2017 Draft Picks

Haf?or Julius "Thor" Bjornsson from "Game Of Thrones"

Iris Kyle - 10x Ms. Olympia champion

Viewers will be treated to an unforgettable halftime performance by Nicki Minaj, who is featured on Katy Perry's new hit single, "Swish Swish," from the album Witness. With its nod to basketball, "Swish Swish" has been selected as the theme song for the big game and it will appear in the broadcast sponsor "Just Dance 2018" video game, launching on October 24. In the event of a Tigers win, will "Backpack Kid" Russell Horning break out his famed move in a victory dance?

Katy trades her usual glam for geeky in 'Swish Swish'. Image: Getty

Sheep cheerleading squad: Sydelle Noel, Britney Young, Kia Stevens, Jackie Tohn and Ellen Wong - will also take to the court, bringing a special "GLOW" to the event. The box office has been inundated with ticket requests from celebrities, sports figures and other influencers. Crowd-watchers are likely to spot Joey Chestnut (ranked #1 competitive eater in the world), the Minnesota Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns, the Patriots' Rob Gronkowski, retweet legend Carter Wilkerson (of (#NuggsForCarter fame) and canines Nugget, who stars in a new Citi Double Cash card campaign, and Doug The Pug, the king of pop culture and subject of a New York Times bestseller.