Trailer: Swagger arrives on Apple TV+ this October
David Farnor | On 15, Oct 2021
“There’s no way I’m not gonna make it, right coach?” That’s the sound of Apple TV+ stepping on to the basketball court with Swagger.
Inspired by NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s experiences, the drama explores the world of youth basketball, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption. Off the court, the show reveals what it’s like to grow up in America.
Written and created by Reggie Rock Bythewood, the series stars O’Shea Jackson Jr as Ike, a former star player who’s now a youth basketball coach. Isaiah Hill co-stars as Jace Carson, a basketball phenomenon who is one of the top-ranked youth basketball players in the country. Shinelle Azoroh plays Jenna, Jace’s mother who is determined to chart NBA success for her son. Quvenzhané Wallis plays Crystal, a top young basketball player. Caleel Harris plays Musa, the team’s glue and point guard. James Bingham plays Drew Murphy, a player from an affluent part of town. Solomon Irama plays Phil Marksby, the enforcer for a rival team. Ozie Nzeribe plays Royale, a sub-par player with a wealthy dad. Tessa Ferrer plays Meg Bailey, a former basketball player and coach for a rival team. Tristan Mack Wilds plays Alonzo Powers, the grassroots division leader at a major shoe company. Jason Rivera plays Nick, a player from Puerto Rico with the drive to become the best player in the country.
The first three episodes arrive on Apple TV+ on Friday 29th October, with episodes then arriving weekly. Here’s the trailer:
Swagger is available on Apple TV+, as part of a £4.99 monthly subscription, with a seven-day free trial. For more information on Apple TV+ and how to get it, click here.
Swagger: Apple picks up Kevin Durant TV series
9th December 2018
Kevin Durant is all set to Swagger onto Apple TV with a new series.
The NBA legend’s early time in youth basketball is the basis of the show, which hails from Durant’s Thirty Five Media, founded by the sports star back in 2017 with Rich Kleiman. The company is no stranger to Apple and will also be producing The Boardroom, in collaboration with ESPN.
The show has been in the works for some time and is written and created by Reggie Rock Bythewood. Bythewood, who is fresh off FX series Shots Fired, which he co-created with his wife and producing powerhouse Gina Prince-Bythewood.
Bythewood serves as showrunner and will exec-produce the programme alongside Durant. The show explores the world of AAU basketball, as well as the families and coaches of the players, who dribble the fine line between dreams and ambition, opportunism and corruption.
The series is produced by Imagine Television and CBS TV Studios, which has a first-look deal with Imagine TV. Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo and James Seidman will exec-produce for Imagine and Kleiman and Sarah Flynn are also EPs for Thirty Five Ventures.
Apple has given a straight to series order for the drama, just at the time when Universal has greenlit a movie based on the early years of fellow NBA star LeBron James.
Swagger marks the first CBS TV Studios series to be picked up by Apple. However, it is the third streaming series commissioned from Imagine TV in as many months, with CBS All Access ordering Why Women Kill and Hulu green-lighting Wu-Tang: An American Saga.