Ted Cruz has a sense of humor? Texas senator gets laughs in hoops spat with Deadspin | McClatchy Washington Bureau

Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, isn’t known for being the nicest guy in politics or even getting along with his fellow Republicans.

“If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., famously joked last year.

Cruz, who was among the last Republicans standing in the primary season before eventually bowing out to Donald Trump, is trying to re-brand himself, particularly since it looks like he will have to wait until at least 2024 before attempting another run at the White House.

In a Politico story published this week, there is an anecdote about Cruz trying to repair some of his relationships by starting a weekly basketball game. The story says Cruz, despite having terrible form, is not that bad of a shooter.

Deadspin, a popular sports-centered site and ferocious critic of Cruz, wanted pictures (and video) of Cruz playing hoops — or, at least, dressed in basketball gear. The photos, presumably, would be humiliating or, at least, unflattering.

Cruz — or someone on his social media team — had the perfect response, tweeting a photo of Duke’s Grayson Allen back to Deadspin.

Many have pointed out how similar Allen and Cruz look. It’s been a running joke for several years online.

Allen is among the most disliked players in college basketball, leading to similar headlines to the ones Cruz has attracted. He was suspended earlier this season for a third tripping incident.

Deadspin did not take kindly to Cruz’s response, firing off a three-word tweet in response. And Cruz came back once again in the right tone.