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last wk.

Warner Bros. Preemptively Acquires Kobe Bryant Draft-Day Drama 'With the 8th Pick'

Told from the Nets’ front office, the film explores the two weeks before the 1996 draft when Kobe Bryant nearly became New Jersey’s pick.

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Overview

  • Written by Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen, the spec zeroes in on the Nets and GM John Nash during the lead‑up to the 1996 NBA Draft.
  • One source told Variety the studio preempted an auction and took the script off the table early.
  • Producers attached include Tim and Trevor White (Star Thrower Entertainment) and Ryan Stowell and Gotham Chopra (Religion of Sports).
  • The project is described as Social Network meets Air meets Moneyball with a thriller bent, and it remains in early development with no director or cast.
  • Reporting indicates on‑screen portrayals of Kobe Bryant and his father Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, as the story contrasts with the real outcome of Bryant being drafted 13th by the Hornets and traded to the Lakers.