LeBron James, Obamas and Peyton Manning team up for NBA documentary series

Basketball star LeBron James is teaming up with former U.S. Presidents and First Ladies, Barack and Michelle Obama, and NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning to produce a sports documentary.

According to the Wall Street Journal, James’ SpringHill company, Obama’s High Ground company and Manning’s Omaha production company are discussing a series centered on professional basketball players. The goal of the project is to bring the same compelling approach to the NBA that the Omaha-produced “Quarterback” series did for the NFL.

The NBA is expected to play a key role in the documentary, much like NFL Films did with “The Quarterback,” signaling a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the sport and its players.

Higher Ground’s premiere deal with Netflix has been a testament to the success of “The Quarterback,” according to The Hollywood Reporter , suggesting a strong partnership could create a broad-reaching platform for the NBA docuseries.

While specific players in the series have yet to be revealed, it’s worth noting that previous sports documentaries have typically included superstar athletes as well as lesser-known athletes. This approach allows for a comprehensive description of the sport.

SpringHill has secured an impressive $725 million in investment in 2021 from RedBird, Nike and Epic Games, as well as first-look deals with Disney and Universal Pictures for scripted TV and movies, reflecting its outsized impact on the entertainment industry .

Higher Ground, known for impactful documentaries, has partnered with Netflix for film and TV content and Audible for podcasts. The acquisition of “American Orchestra” has the potential to become an Oscar contender.

The sports documentary renaissance is thanks to platforms like Netflix, which offer high-quality, in-depth explorations of various sports and athletes. Examples include “Drive to Survive”, “Full Swing”, “Quarterback” and “Beckham”.