Kobe Bryant Draft Day Movie in the Works at Warner Bros. - MONEYBALL Meets AIR Style Drama
A movie about Kobe Bryant’s wild NBA Draft Day story is officially in development. Warner Bros. Pictures has picked up a spec script from writers Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen, and the story will dive into the behind-the-scenes drama that eventually landed Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The project is tentatively titled With the 8th Pick?, and it sparked plenty of studio interest before Warner Bros. jumped in early and secured the rights, according to Variety. They reportedly moved fast, swooping in before the script could be shopped around in an all-out bidding war.
So, why is the title With the 8th Pick?, when Bryant was actually selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft? That’s where the drama lies. The New Jersey Nets held the 8th pick, and their general manager at the time, John Nash, had plans to take Bryant.
But he was overruled by then-coach John Calipari. Charlotte drafted Bryant instead, then traded him to the Lakers for Vlade Divac, a deal that would shape the future of the NBA.
Insiders are calling the movie a cross between Moneyball and Air, the recent sports drama about Nike’s pursuit of Michael Jordan, directed by Ben Affleck and starring Matt Damon.
Warner Bros. hasn’t made any official comments yet, but the story has all the ingredients for a compelling sports drama with a behind the scenes conflict, bold draft-day decisions, and the rise of one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, racking up five championships, 18 All-Star selections, and an MVP award in the 2007–2008 season. He retired in 2016 and tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in 2020, along with his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others.
This new film promises to spotlight one of the biggest what-ifs in sports history, capturing the tension and uncertainty that surrounded a teenage Kobe Bryant on the brink of greatness.
This one’s definitely one to watch for Lakers fans, sports movie lovers, and anyone who’s ever wondered just how close the world was to never seeing Kobe in purple and gold.
