Last summer, Tracy McGrady successfully rolled out his Ones Basketball League, and took it to seven cities to find the best one on one basketball players in each community.
The tournament wasn’t about celebrities or big-name players. Instead, it focused on players who lived for the game and wanted to showcase their talents in front of their friends, family and city.
“It’s not a gimmick,” McGrady told me last year before the OBL started. “We’re sticking to the essence of what basketball is- individual talent and skills.”
Last year over two days in July, 22 competitors battled it out at the Finals for a shot at the $250,000 prize and title of “Ruler of the Court.”
A year later, McGrady and his team want to show the world what the OBL, its competitors and participating communities were all about, and they’ve enlisted the help of Showtime to do just that through an upcoming docuseries, “Bonded by Ball: Inside the OBL.”
The four-part documentary series, which will air on Showtime Extreme and Paramount + with Showtime, chronicles the inaugural season of the Ones Basketball League.
“Bonded by Ball takes you on a journey with incredible athletes you haven’t met before and also gives some insight into my life story,” McGrady said in a statement. “When I look at these players, I know how it feels to be overlooked and undervalued. When an opportunity is given, what are you going to do with it? These guys are out to prove something, and we are proud to bring their stories to a larger audience for the first time.”
Per the release:
The documentary series is an intimate look at the league’s three-month tour across the U.S. during its 2022 season, highlighting competitions in Houston, Brooklyn, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The series, guided by McGrady, reveals the compelling and often heartbreaking stories of the star players. By uncovering each athlete’s unique personality, determination, style and circumstances, the series is an in-depth exposé on the collective joy and disappointment that comes with both basketball and life.
“Tracy and the OBL fit the ethos of SHOWTIME Basketball, and BONDED BY BALL is a reflection of the type of boundary-pushing and innovative content we strive to create,” said Brian Dailey, SVP, Sports Programming & Content at SHOWTIME. “If you look at our roster, it’s full of Hall of Famers and champions who are open to sharing their experiences, just as Tracy has with this league and through this series.”
All four episodes of BONDED BY BALL: INSIDE THE OBL will premier consecutively on Showtime Extreme on Friday, July 28th at 10pm ET, and all episodes will be available on demand and on streaming for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers on the premier day.
