Deadline is reporting that Winston Duke (Us, Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame) has been cast in the lead role of Swagger, Apple’s upcoming drama series from NBA star Kevin Durant.
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Written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood (Shots Fired, Notorious, Biker Boyz) who also serves as showrunner, Swagger is inspired by Durant’s youth basketball experiences. It 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. Duke will play Ike, a youth basketball coach and former star player.
The basketball-themed series comes from Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Imagine Television Studios and CBS TV Studios.
Durant will executive produce alongside Durant, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo for Imagine TV, and Rich Kleiman for Thirty Five Ventures. James Seidman is Imagine’s executive with Sarah Flynn serving as executive for Thirty Five Ventures on the project. The series is scheduled to begin production this month.
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Best known for his role as M’Baku in the MCU and starring alongside Lupita Nyong’o in Jordan Peele’s Us, Duke’s previous TV credits include Major Crimes, Modern Family, The Messengers, and Person of Interest. His upcoming movie projects include Wonderland, Nine Days, and Heroine.
(Photo by Rich Fury/FilmMagic via Getty Images)
