Wallaroo Joey

While we often think of kangaroos and wallabies as marsupials fit for the boxing ring, the wallaroo joey who recently debuted at the Oakland Zoo might be better matched for the basketball court.

Zoo officials named the adorable marsupial after Australian basketball player Andrew Bogut, the Golden State Warriors' new center. But don’t expect little Bogut to outshoot his namesake from the free throw line any time soon. The joey will only grow to four or five feet tall while the NBA star stands at an astounding seven feet tall.

So what is a wallaroo exactly? It may sound like a cross between a kangaroo and a wallaby, but according to zoological manager Victor Alm, this marsupial is in the same family as kangaroos and wallabies but is its own distinct species. The wallaroo does share a few other key similarities with his fellow marsupials; just like his relatives, he’s native to Australia and incredibly cute!