Slam Dunk for Showtime: LeBron James to Produce Docuseries 'Shut up and Dribble'

Days after LeBron James became the latest Twitter target of President Donald Trump, Showtime announced a docuseries about the NBA and the impact of its players off the court to be produced by James.

Showtime president and CEO David Nevins announced the project, titled Shut Up And Dribble, at the Television Critics Association press tour Monday, reports Variety. The title refers to a comment Fox News' Laura Ingraham made in February after the Golden State Warriors declined an invitation to the White House after winning the NBA Finals.

The three-part series will track the NBA's growth and history, beginning with the 1976 NBA-ABA merger.

James is an executive producer on the series through his SpringHill Entertainment in collaboration with Showtime Sports Documentary Films. Gotham Chopra, who directed Tom Brady's Facebook docuseries Tom vs. Time and AT&T's Religion of Sports series, will direct Shut Up And Dribble.

"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," Nivens told reporters.

"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."

Showtime's announcement came just days after Trump insulted James on Friday night, when the Los Angeles Lakers player appeared on CNN to discuss the I Promise School he opened for at-risk children in his hometown Akron, Ohio.

"Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn't easy to do. I like Mike," the President wrote on Aug. 4.

Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2018

During James' CNN interview, James expressed disappointment with how Trump has used sports to divide Americans.

"What I've noticed over the past few months, [is] he's kinda used sports to kinda divide us, and that's something that I can't relate to," James said, later adding, "I can't sit back and say nothing."

James said he believes sports should be used to unify.

"Sports was the first time I was ever around someone white. I got an opportunity to see them and learn about them, and they got the opportunity to learn about me ... And I was like, 'Oh wow, this is all because of sports,'" James said.

Surprisingly, First Lady Melania Trump issued a statement praising James.

"It looks like LeBron James is working to do good things on behalf of our next generation and just as she always has, the First Lady encourages everyone to have an open dialogue about issues facing children today," the First Lady said through a spokeswoman.

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