Warner Bros. Pictures is moving forward with a new Kobe Bryant-related project, picking up a spec script titled With the 8th Pick that centers on the pivotal 1996 NBA Draft and how Bryant arrived in the NBA. The screenplay, written by Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen, is pitched as a high-stakes, thriller-infused look at basketball decision-making, drawing comparisons to Moneyball, The Social Network, and Air.
Rather than a traditional biopic, the film concentrates on the two weeks leading up to the draft, told largely through the viewpoints of New Jersey Nets general manager John Nash and the Nets’ incoming head coach John Calipari. The Nets owned the eighth overall pick and were weighing Bryant as Calipari’s potential first NBA draft selection. However, financial struggles, external pressures, and Bryant’s preference for Los Angeles, where his Adidas deal promised greater value, ultimately kept Bryant from slipping to New Jersey.
Charlotte did select Bryant 13th overall and immediately traded him to the Lakers for center Vlade Divac. Bryant would go on to a storied, 20-year run with the Lakers, while Divac spent only two seasons in Charlotte.
The script also threading Bryant’s family background, including his father, Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, with the elder Bryant expected to appear in the story. This approach sets With the 8th Pick apart from other basketball films by centering the personal and familial context in addition to the on-court drama, rather than portraying Bryant as a solely offscreen presence.
Production duties are handled by Tim and Trevor White of Star Thrower Entertainment (famed for King Richard) alongside Ryan Stowell and Gotham Chopra of Religion of Sports. Chopra previously directed Kobe Bryant’s Muse (2015). No director or cast has been announced yet.
From a career perspective, Bryant’s résumé is widely celebrated: multiple championships, two Finals MVPs, one regular-season MVP (2008), and 18 All-Star selections. He retired in 2016 after a 60-point final game against the Utah Jazz and later earned an Academy Award in 2018 for the animated short Dear Basketball. His life was tragically cut short in January 2020 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, that claimed his life along with his daughter Gianna and seven others.
The project taps into a broader interest in telling sports histories through contemporary, character-driven narratives that blend real-world decision-making with dramatic storytelling. If produced, the film could offer a fresh look at Bryant’s road to the Lakers, exploring how a combination of fate, business considerations, and personal choice can shape a franchise and a legend.
Additional value notes:
– The focus on the two-week window and the Nets’ internal debates could yield tense, suspense-driven storytelling while still honoring the historical context.
– By including Bryant’s family background, the film has the potential to illuminate the personal influences behind a global icon’s journey.
– As with other contemporary sports dramas, the project may resonate with audiences beyond basketball fans, highlighting themes of ambition, risk, and the costs of pursuit.
In short, Warner Bros. is pursuing a non-traditional, drama-first portrayal of Kobe Bryant’s entry into the NBA, with a spotlight on the forces that shaped one of the league’s most storied moments. The project aims to honor Bryant’s legacy while delivering a fresh cinematic take on a defining chapter of his life.