![]() ![]() You can feel this same sensibility in “Shooting Stars” with a dynamite soundtrack of late ’90s and early 2000s hip-hop. He also directed TV episodes of “black-ish” (2020-2021) and “Woke” (2022) and co-directed ESPN’s “30 for 30” documentary “The Greatest Mixtape Ever” about the And1 Mixtape. It’s all helmed by Baltimore, Maryland, filmmaker Chris Robinson, who earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for “The New Edition Story” (2017) and shared an Emmy nomination for the Kennedy Center’s “Mark Twain Prize for Dave Chappelle” (2019). Dermot Mulroney is perfectly cast as hardass coach Keith Dambrot, while Katlyn Nichol shines as LeBron’s future wife Savannah. This time, his acting feels uncharacteristically forced at first before growing more realistic. Harris is no stranger to inspirational sports movies after “Remember the Titans” (2000) and “Creed” (2015). Wood Harris (“The Wire”) plays Joyce’s father, Coach Dru Joyce II, a local legend who won seven state titles. Mary football team and Caleb McLaughlin (“Stranger Things”) as Lil Dru Joyce III, who went on to set records at the University of Akron. Mary before joining the LeBron James Family Foundation Khalil Everage (“Beats”) as Sian Cotton, who is currently the defensive-line coach for the St. (“Swagger”) as Willie McGee, who became athletic director at St. Surrounding these real-life talents is a trio of actors: Avery S. Likewise, NBA G League baller and upcoming NBA Draft prospect Sterling “Scoot” Henderson plays teammate Romeo Travis, who went on to become an assistant coach at St. Not only does Mookie look like young LeBron, he’s got the muscles to flex and the dunking skills to prove it. Playing teenage LeBron is Marquis “Mookie” Cook, a real-life 5-star recruit who signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Oregon in the fall. Will the publicity go to James’ head? Will his teammates feel left behind? Or can they all put aside jealousy to remain friends? ![]() However, fame has a price as James is singled out as the breakout star on the cover of Sports Illustrated and ESPN broadcasts of their high school games. Together, the tight-knit group goes on to win three state titles and one national championship for their Catholic high school, the St. ![]() No, they’ve never heard of The Beatles as the original “Fab Four.” Their heroes were the University of Michigan’s “Fab Five” of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson. They called themselves the Fab Four (later the Fab Five). What could have been a vanity project about LeBron with idolatry of the once and future King is instead a selfless celebration of his childhood best friends, feeling less like a ball hog and more like teamwork passing the ball around to take the open shot, which doesn’t swish but rattles in.īased on James’ eponymous memoir co-written by Buzz Bissinger in 2009, the film opens with Young LeBron James and his AAU teammates on the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars in Akron, Ohio. That’s the underlying charm of the nostalgic, albeit somewhat unnecessary coming-of-age basketball biopic “Shooting Stars,” which premieres Friday on Peacock. ![]() Too often, we forget that James was once just a kid shooting hoops with his best friends like the rest of us. intangibles between die-hard legions of Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain. This does a disservice to us all with a food fight of statistics vs. Merely mentioning LeBron James’ name triggers instant debate about whether or not he is the greatest basketball player of all time. WTOP's Jason Fraley reviews 'Shooting Stars'
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