A film about Kobe Bryant’s journey to the Los Angeles Lakers has landed at Warner Bros. The spec screenplay, titled With The 8th Pick, follows the high-stakes process that led to Bryant being drafted by the NBA in 1996. The project focuses on the New Jersey Nets and their then-general manager John Nash, who held the 8th pick and considered taking Bryant out of high school. Bryant ended up being selected 13th by the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Lakers, where he won 5 championships and became an icon. The film is described as having elements of Moneyball, The Social Network, and Air, tracking the pivotal decisions that could have changed the NBA’s future. Bryant was part of legendary Lakers teams with Shaquille O’Neal and Phil Jackson before his tragic death in 2020 at age 41. (THR)
