Winston Duke to Star in Apple’s Basketball Drama Swagger

Winston Duke (Black Panther, Us, Wonderland, Nine Days) is set to star in Swagger, a newly ordered Apple TV+ basketball-themed drama series from NBA superstar Kevin Durant and Imagine’s Brian Grazer (Empire, Friday Night Lights).

Duke is attached to star as Ike, a youth basketball coach and former star player. Inspired by two-time NBA champion and entrepreneur Durant’s youth basketball experiences, Swagger explores the world of youth basketball, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, opportunism and corruption.

The series is written, directed and executive produced by Reggie Rock Bythewood (Shots Fired, Notorious), who also serves as showrunner. Grazer, Francie Calfo (Empire, Genius), Durant and Thirty Five Ventures’ Rich Kleiman and Rock Bythewood are executive producers. The series hails from Imagine Television Studios and CBS Television Studios. James Seidman will serve as the Imagine executive on the project; Sarah Flynn will serve as executive for Thirty Five Ventures on the project.