Fewer names in the NBA have the cultural significance as Kobe Bryant, from his ‘Mamba Mentality’ to his stellar play on the court, he transcended the game of basketball. Bryant notoriously spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming a local hero for the area, as the frontman of a dynasty. However, that legacy almost never took place, as the New Jersey Nets were in pursuit of him. The attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, though, it would have shaken the NBA’s core.
The rights for the script to “With the 8th Pick”, was recently acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures. The script tells the story of the New Jersey Nets’ attempt at landing Kobe Bryant in the 1996 NBA Draft. The story, which was created by screenwriters Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen, had interest from other studios before Warner Bros. agreed to produce it.
Much information regarding the project is still in the air, including the expected release date and its director, though it will focus on the Nets’ considerations of choosing Kobe Bryant in the 1996 NBA Draft. Then-general manager John Nash had the high school star on his radar, with the team possessing the 8th pick in the draft.
According to Variety, Nash was trying his best to draft Kobe Bryant, though the Nets’ coach at the time, John Calipari, didn’t view Bryant as highly, which led them to choose a different player.
Bryant was ultimately selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the 13th overall pick, but later traded to the Lakers in a move that would alter the trajectory of the NBA. Bryant’s legacy in the Garden State may have been one for the history books, though his arrival in LA signified another era of dominance for Lakers basketball.