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Kobe Bryant movie with Tom Brady connection has no Lakers storyline

A Kobe Bryant film is in the works, but the premise is not what you would expect, or probably want.
Matthew Graham|
Apr 13, 2016; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant waves to the Staples Center crowd as he leaves the game against the Utah Jazz in the closing seconds. Bryant scored 60 points in the final game of his career.
Apr 13, 2016; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant waves to the Staples Center crowd as he leaves the game against the Utah Jazz in the closing seconds. Bryant scored 60 points in the final game of his career. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

In this story:

Los Angeles Lakers

Are you ready for a Kobe Bryant movie that has nothing to do with the Los Angeles Lakers?

Huh?

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Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal
A young Kobe Bryant drives the lane in a training camp practice against Shaquille O'Neal at College of the Desert sometime during the late 1990s | The Desert Sun via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Nope, it's not about Kobe and Shaquille O'Neal winning three NBA championships in a row while their personal relationship deteriorated behind the scenes. It's not about Bryant's redemption capturing two more without Shaq to cement his legacy as one of the most beloved Lakers of all time. It's none of that for the film picked up by Warner Bros.

Instead, per Deadline, "With the 8th Pick" is from the point of view of John Nash, the then general manager of the New Jersey Nets, and their new head coach, hot-shot, up-and-comer John Calipari as they pursue the Lower Merion high school sensation.

Again, huh?

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Kobe Bryant, Vanessa Bryant, Natalia Bryant
Jun 22, 2010; Kobe Bryant with wife Vanessa Bryant and daughter Natalia Bryant during the 2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers championship parade on Figueroa Street. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The tagline is amazing, where "it's being described as 'Social Network' meets 'Air' meets 'Moneyball" with a thriller bent." Why not throw "Space Jam" in there too with some "Rocky IV" for good measure?

So what's the Tom Brady connection to this masterpiece? One of the producers is Ryan Stowell, who also is the head film and TV for Brady and Michael Strahan's production company, "Religion of Sports."

There is no director yet. It does mention that part of the plot is Kobe is a Lakers fan in the film, so there you go!

Let's hope the final product, if it ever makes it across the finish line, is the "thriller" promised. Because right now, it sounds rather boring.

kobe bryant
Apr 13, 2016; Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) smiles during the third quarter against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. Bryant was playing in the final game of his NBA career. | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

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Matthew Graham
MATTHEW GRAHAM

Matthew Graham has over 20 years of media experience and oversees The Athlete Lifestyle On SI. He has had previous leadership roles at NBC Sports, Yahoo, and USA TODAY, where he co-founded For The Win (named Best Mobile Site by Digiday). He has also written for ESPN, Cosmopolitan, US Weekly, People, E! Online, and FHM, covering major sports and entertainment events like the Oscars, the Golden Globes, NBA Finals, Super Bowl, and winning the Yahoo Superstar Award for coverage of the Olympics.

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