When Zoli Berencsi was 10 years old, he wanted a motorcycle. His dad said that if he could walk on his hands from the kitchen to the bedroom and back, he could get a motorcycle.
He was able to do it.
That set the former state champion gymnast from Caledonia, Michigan on the path to becoming a professional mascot, stuntman, and eventually producer for the famed Harlem Globetrotters. He has worked for four NBA teams, two WNBA teams, two NHL teams and two NFL teams.
In one recent TikTok, he jumps off a swing into a pair of grey sweatpants held by his wife and son. He decided to wrap his ankles for protection, and take off his shoes because to put his feet through the pants they had to slide in without getting caught.
“I adjusted by the inch in terms of where they’re standing and moved them to the left or the right.” he said. “I kind of know exactly where I’m going to come in on it. There’s a lot of that sort of thing, that [goes on] behind the scenes that people don’t be see.” he told TikTok Newser.
@mascotzoliIs this what Beyoncé meant? 🤣 ##jumptoputjeansonchallenge ##beyonce ##cosplay ##parkour♬ original sound – skkamin
In high school he played football, baseball, golf, and ran track. But he kept up his gymnastics. He’d dunk basketballs off picnic tables and play on rope swings. Berencsi says it groomed him to be the stuntman he is today.
Berencsi’s mom isn’t worried about him. She saw him grow up doing stunts. But his wife is. Berencsi takes care of his body: he stretches, calculates his stunts, and even though it may look like a video is done on a whim, he takes measurements beforehand so he doesn’t get injured.
He started TikTok on January 1, posting a stunt his son filmed from the stands at an Atlanta Hawks game where Berencsi jumped off a trampoline to dunk a basketball, and then did his signature booty bounce. It went viral, reaching 14 million people.
@mascotzoli##foryou ##fyp ##goodbye2019♬ Stil D.R.E. Remix – thelilcg
Berencsi’s favorite TV show is Trailer Park Boys and his favorite musical artist is Eminem. The hardest thing he’s done is rappel from the top of an arena. “You have to get over a lot of fear of the heights, and just trusting of the rope and everything.” he told TikTok Newser.
Although he already starred as a stuntman alongside comedian Chris Rock in the 2003 film Head of State, Berencsi has set his sights on starring in more Hollywood movies and television, along with growing his TikTok audience.
