Warner Bros. Photos has acquired a spec script based mostly on the dramatic true story of NBA legend Kobe Bryant becoming a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Selection has confirmed.
The venture comes from screenwriters Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen. Rumors of the venture had piqued the curiosity of a number of studios and streamers. One supply informed Selection that Warner Bros. preempted an public sale and took the script, tentatively titled “With the eighth Decide?”, off the desk early.
Curiously, Bryant was taken by the Lakers with the thirteenth decide within the 1996 NBA Draft — not the eighth decide. The New Jersey Nets and its common supervisor, John Nash, had the eighth decide. Nash has beforehand mentioned that he needed to draft Bryant with the decide, however was overruled by Nets coach John Calipari.
Different insiders aware of the script described the movie as “Moneyball” meets “Air,” Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s latest function detailing Nike’s courtship of a rookie-year Michael Jordan.
Warner Bros. had no remark when requested concerning the venture.
Bryant performed 20 seasons with the Lakers, profitable 5 championships together with a three-peat within the early aughts alongside Shaquille O’Neal and coach Phil Jackson. He was an 18-time All-Star and was named the league’s MVP for the 2007-2008 season. He retired from skilled basketball in 2016 on the age of 37. In January 2020, Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Orange County, Calif. together with eight different passengers, together with his daughter Gianna.
Sohn and Johannsen are repped by Verve Expertise and Literary Company. The previous is managed by Lit Leisure Group and the latter by Gotham Group.
The InSneider first reported information of the Bryant script. That report additionally included attainable manufacturing companions, although a number of sources mentioned any third-party involvement was manner untimely.
