Not to be outdone by Starz and their fancy new Fresh Prince/Entourage-y sitcom produced by LeBron James, Showtime is teaming up with former Lakers coach Phil Jackson and director Ron Shelton to develop their own executive-produced-by-basketball-people television series.
Set to write, executive produce and, should it go to pilot, direct is Ron Shelton. The sports-centric filmmaker’s most notable movies include Bull Durham, Tin Cup and White Men Can’t Jump. Serving as executive producers alongside him on the project are several members of the L.A. Lakers family, including assistant coach Kurt Rambis, retired coach Phil Jackson and team execs Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis — the latter two doing so under their shingle Street Reason Entertainment.
The untitled project is a behind-the-scenes look at a professional team, focusing on the family that owns the franchise. [THR]
The involvement of current Lakers executives — including Jackson’s fiancee, Jeanie Buss — really decreases the odds that Jackson and Shelton will produce a thinly-disguised pilot about the wise, noble coach of “the Los Angeles Ponders” struggling to deal with his evil sociopath shooting guard “Bobe Kryant,” and that right there is a crying shame. I would have watched that show forever.
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