LeBron James' sports drama Rez Ball to film in New Mexico for Netflix

Netflix's upcoming sports drama, Rez Ball, is readying production in New Mexico this month.

The feature, produced by Los Angeles Lakers basketball player, LeBron James, is filming in the US state between March and June, according to a public open casting call announced via Midhunter Casting on Instagram.

Described as Friday Night Lights meets Hoosiers, the story follows the Chuska Warriors, a Native American high school basketball team from Chuska, New Mexico that must band together after losing their star player if they want to keep their quest for a state championship alive. It’s an all-American underdog story about Navajo kids and coaches told from the inside-out. 

Production will take place in New Mexico including filming on reservations with the permission and support of the local sovereign tribal nations. 

The coming-of-age sports drama about Native American basketball produced by Wise Entertainment and The SpringHill Company is heading to Netflix.

Inspired by Michael Powell’s critically acclaimed nonfiction sports novel Canyon Dreams, as well as the groundbreaking New York Times articles that preceded it, Rez Ball explores the raw and exhilarating world of “reservation basketball” with its unique, lightening-quick pace that is rumored to have influenced top NBA teams and coaches throughout the years.

It is directed by Sydney Freeland (Drunktown’s Finest, Deidra & Laney Rob a Train, Reservation Dogs), from a script by Freeland (Drunktown’s Finest) and Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs) which is inspired by Michael Powell’s critically acclaimed nonfiction sports novel Canyon Dreams, as well as the New York Times articles that preceded it.

Rez Ball is produced by Maurício and Katie Mota’s Wise Entertainment (East Los High); and LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company (Space Jam: A New Legacy). Executive producers are Spencer Beighley and Jamal Henderson of The SpringHill Company.