Warner Bros. acquired rights to a screenplay titled With the 8th Pick, written by Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen. The screenplay centers on the 1996 NBA draft, with particular emphasis on the New Jersey Nets front office and its decision whether to draft Kobe Bryant. The film aims to portray an early pivotal moment in Bryant's career rather than a full biographical arc, reflecting the complexity of his legacy. The project bears comparison to films where a famous athlete is central but not the protagonist. Sohn and Johannsen have prior credits, and no director has been attached yet. Johannsen's social media indicates a strong personal interest in Los Angeles sports.
In an article for The Hollywood Reporter, McKinley Franklin and Ryan Gajewski write that Warner Bros. successfully bid for the rights to a screenplay titled With the 8th Pick, written by Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen. Their screenplay is said to focus on the 1996 NBA draft, with an emphasis on the New Jersey Nets front office and their decision on whether or not to draft Bryant.
Based on the summary of the film in The Hollywood Reporter's article, the best comparison here might be to Air, the acclaimed 2023 film in which a young Michael Jordan plays a crucial role while not being the film's protagonist. Given the fact that Bryant's legacy is a lot more complicated than many legendary athletes, it isn't hard to see why a film with Bryant at the center might focus on an early moment in his career rather than a more traditional biographical route.
Screenwriters Sohn and Johannsen each have a number of credits to their name already; THR's article on their upcoming basketball film states that a director has yet to be hired for it. That said, if his social media presence is any indication, Johannsen has a deep and abiding love for Los Angeles's sports teams, suggesting that his interest in this subject came very organically.
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