Warner Bros. Pictures has secured a spec script detailing the high-stakes 1996 NBA Draft maneuver that delivered 17-year-old Kobe Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Variety reporters Matt Donnelly and J. Kim Murphy.
The planned feature will dramatize the night Jerry West sent veteran center Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the No. 13 overall pick, which the Lakers used to select Bryant. Insiders familiar with the screenplay describe the project as “Moneyball meets Air,” signaling a behind-the-scenes look at one of basketball’s most pivotal transactions.
The Drama Behind the Deal
Multiple storylines fueled tension leading up to draft night on June 26, 1996:
- Divac initially balked at leaving Los Angeles, even threatening retirement rather than reporting to Charlotte.
- Bryant’s representatives warned several lottery clubs—including the New Jersey Nets, who held the No. 8 pick—that the teenager might play professionally in Italy if he landed with a team he did not favor.
- The Lakers needed weeks to persuade all parties, ultimately finalizing the trade that set the stage for five championships and seven NBA Finals appearances during Bryant’s 20-year career in purple and gold.
Next Steps
Warner Bros. has not yet announced casting, a director, or a production timeline. The acquisition positions the studio to add another entry to its growing slate of true-story sports dramas.
Source: Lakers Nation
