Earlier this year Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham really showed her white nationalist colors when she told LeBron James and Kevin Durant to “shut up and dribble” after they criticized current nationalist-in-chief, Donald Trump. Taking the lemons thrown at him and making some lemonade, King James took Ingraham’s comment and with the help of Showtime executive produced a three-part docuseries called Shut Up And Dribble.
Directed by Gotham Chopra and narrated by Jemele Hill, Shut Up And Dribble documents the decades old connections that NBA players have had to social and political activism. From Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 70’s to Steph Curry today, NBA players have been taking political stands whenever they felt it necessary and the documentary will serve as a reminder to Laura Ingraham and people like her that these men are more than just figures used for entertainment, they are people who inspire change. And that’s what the Fox News anchor and the base she appeals to fears the most.
In a press release Showtime explained:
“The controversy [Ingraham’s comments] serves as a prologue to the series as it chronicles the modern history of the NBA and its players, starting with the 1976 merger of the freewheeling ABA and the more conventional NBA. The league soon became an incubator for many of its top athletes to grow their brands beyond the court, becoming powerful players in commerce and fashion, and transcending the game to become cultural icons. Shut Up and Dribble charts this evolution through the experience of basketball players, who by taking control of their own destinies have helped to bring about social change and make their own statements in the current political climate.”
Peep the trailer to Shut Up And Dribble below and be sure to catch it when it debuts on November 3 at 9pm.