Kevin Durant and Reggie Rock Bythewood‘s Apple TV+ series Swagger had its premiere in New York yesterday. We weren’t there, but wish we were. Lucky for the masses, the first three of the 10-episode series debut on Apple TV+ on October 29. That’s this Friday!
Nonetheless, the first trailer for Swagger was released a couple of weeks ago and honestly, the show is positioned to be a commentary on the ongoing changing landscape when it comes to social injustice and the unfair treatment of people of color — specifically the Black community. Watch the trailer below.
The drama is inspired by Durant’s experiences in the world of youth basketball, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption. Durant serves as executive producer alongside creator and showrunner Bythewood
Swagger stars O’Shea Jackson Jr., Isaiah Hill, Shinelle Azoroh, Quvenzhané Wallis, Caleel Harris, James Bingham, Solomon Irama, Ozie Nzeribe, Tessa Ferrer, Tristan Mack Wilds, and Jason Rivera.
The cast of ‘Swagger’ at the premiere.
Jackson stars as Ike, a former star player who’s now a youth basketball coach; Hill stars as Jace Carson, a basketball phenomenon who is one of the top ranked youth basketball players in the country; Azoroh plays Jenna, Jace’s mother who is determined to chart NBA success for her son; Wallis plays Crystal, a top young basketball player; Harris plays Musa, the team’s glue and point guard; Bingham plays Drew Murphy, a player from an affluent part of town; Irama plays Phil Marksby, the enforcer for a rival team; Nzeribe plays Royale, a sub-par player with a wealthy dad; Ferrer plays Meg Bailey, a former basketball player and coach for a rival team; Wilds plays Alonzo Powers, the grassroots division leader at a major shoe company; and Rivera plays Nick, a player from Puerto Rico with the drive to become the best player in the country.
At first glance, it seems like an ordinary sports drama, but upon watching the trailer and the fact that it is from the team that brought us Friday Night Lights, Swagger seems to have an energy that is going to hit different. It has exactly what the title entails. It’s has vibes of brotherhood, family and identity on and off the court so here’s hoping this series will deliver.
