The Los Angeles Lakers jerseys will not be the only things headed to Showtime this season. According to Joe Otterson of Variety, LeBron James will be an executive producer of a new docu-series on Showtime called “Shut Up and Dribble.”
The name of the show is, of course, an allusion to comments made by Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham who famously told NBA players to “shut up and dribble” after the Golden State Warriors famously refused to visit the White House following winning the title. Last week, Donald Trump tweeted about James to discredit his intelligence after the Lakers star called him divisive in a CNN interview.
James’ show is centered around the “changing role of athletes in the current political environment” according to Variety. In recent years, athletes across all sports, and especially the NBA, have been more willing to voice their beliefs on political and social issues and have often been met with critiques from fans and those in power, alike.
Showtime CEO David Nevins, who announced the new three-part series, spoke more about the contents of the show:
“If being a star athlete is inherently a political experience, ‘Shut Up and Dribble’ tells that complex and dramatic story from the past to the present and from the inside out,” said Nevins. “LeBron James is one of many competitors whose place in the spotlight has led not to silence but perspective, and he, Maverick Carter and Gotham Chopra have given us an important, insightful docuseries that should bring their fans and fellow citizens to a higher level of discourse, rather than the dismissal satirized in the title.”
James has not only been one of the most socially conscious athletes in the world, but he has also been growing his off-court brand in the entertainment industry, potentially one of the main reasons behind his choosing the Lakers in free agency. His social activism has been supported by many of his peers as his reputation as a philanthropist speaks for itself.
There is currently no date set for the debut of the series.
