Before LeBron James decides where he’ll be playing basketball this fall, he has some work to do for HBO. The network has purchased Student Athlete, a documentary he will serve as the Executive Producer for and release through his SpringHill Entertainment Group.
LeBron James has never been under the NCAA’s jurisdiction for a single day in his life, but that hasn’t stopped him from speaking out about the way college athletes are treated by the organization. This time, he is bringing in some very noteworthy help. Maverick Carter and Jamal Henderson of SpringHill will serve as producers alongside Steve Stout. Student Athlete will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who won an Oscar this year for her short documentary Saving Face, and Trish Dalton.
Obaid-Chinoy said in a press release that she and Dalton put a lot of work into this movie to show the realities of life for NCAA athletes.
We embedded in the world of men’s college basketball and football, capturing athletes’ hopes and dreams being shattered by the harsh reality of what it means to be a “student athlete” in a billion-dollar industry.
Carter had strong words about the importance of the project in a press release.
This is an incredibly important story about the institutional denial of basic human rights for these student athletes. When Steve Stoute brought us this idea, it was a perfect fit for the kind of stories we want to tell at SpringHill. We’re excited to work with one of the best human rights storytellers in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy to help people see and feel how this issue impacts the lives of those living it.
It seems pretty clear what angle this movie will take, especially considering how critical LeBron James has been of the NCAA in the past. Student Athlete will premier on HBO on October 2nd.
