Skip to main content

NBA star Kevin Durant working on a scripted series based on his life for Apple

Like LeBron James and other pro basketball players before him, Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant has dunked himself into the waters of movies and TV. The actor recently teamed up with Apple and Imagine Television’s Brian Grazer for a scripted drama series loosely based on his life, Deadline reports.

The idea for the series, Swagger, came about after Durant met Grazer, who executive produced the sports-focused drama series Friday Night Lights. Grazer told Deadline that he’d been wanting to return to that world when he happened to meet Durant. The two were both attending The Camp, an annual summer gathering hosted by Google that welcomes heavy hitters from a variety of fields. (Past attendees have included Prince Harry, Rihanna, and George Lucas, according to Forbes.) Grazer and Durant made plans to get together in Los Angeles, and when they did, they discussed what the basketball star’s childhood was like after scouts and brands started calling when he was just 12 years old.

The idea for Swagger — a series centering on young basketball players and their families — was born out of that conversation.

“He created a beautiful world that the Friday Night Lights essence could inhabit,” Grazer said, according to Deadline. “It has the same things. The fragility of how you were as a kid, and how these kids — 12 to 13 years old — are presented with money, real money. … It’s a fascinating universe of possibilities.”

Friday Night Lights was football-centric, so Swagger will differ in that respect, but there will be numerous common themes. The series will reportedly show the kids’ families navigating the “youth-sports economy,” as Deadline puts it. We saw that in Friday Night Lights during its run from 2006 to 2011, and although the series never was a ratings giant, it did maintain a loyal fan following and critical acclaim.

Durant and Grazer seem like a good fit for a partnership with Apple. The company is investing heavily in original programming, and has been doing so with the help of big names. Reese Witherspoon, Octavia Spencer, Steven Spielberg, and Dr. Dre are just some of the technology and entertainment giant’s uber-successful collaborators.

Swagger does not currently have a season order, but we hope to see it on our screens before long.

Stephanie Topacio Long
Stephanie Topacio Long is a writer and editor whose writing interests range from business to books. She also contributes to…
3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Read more
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Read more
The best Netflix original series right now
Eric and Benedict Cumberbatch in Eric.

The era of Peak TV was also Peak Netflix, because the streamer seemingly had an endless supply of new original series. So far in 2024, that hasn't been the case. Whether we'll ever get the same level of content again seems unlikely for now. But even in a reduced capacity, Netflix still has a few new additions to its lineup of originals.

For the month of June, we're adding the '80s-set thriller, Eric, which stars Benedict Cumbebatch. Our other pick for the month is Supacell, which is Netflix's new British series that remixes some old superhero archetypes. That's not a very big selection for fans who always want something new, but this roundup of the best Netflix original series really does have all of the top options in one place for you. All you have to do is scroll down and make time to binge watch some shows.

Read more