As a fan of sports documentaries and a follower of women’s basketball, I am absolutely thrilled about the upcoming series, “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins.” As someone who appreciates a good underdog story, the fact that this documentary follows a college athlete on her journey to stardom is truly exciting.
The frenzy surrounding sports documentaries is now sweeping through college campuses, as USC standout athlete JuJu Watkins prepares to appear both on-screen and behind the scenes as the executive producer of an upcoming documentary series, set to air on NBC and Peacock.
The TV show titled “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins” will make its debut with the first two episodes on November 23rd, starting at 3 p.m., on NBC. This premiere will be followed by the broadcast of the USC vs. Notre Dame basketball game. Subsequent episodes, from episode three to six, can only be viewed on NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock.
The series produced by Klutch Sports, Uninterrupted, and 4.4.Forty will provide a deeper understanding of who I am, my beliefs, and my journey, as I deeply cherish and take pride in sharing these aspects with others, according to Watkins in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
However, On The Rise stands apart from traditional sports documentaries, as it presents a unique approach to the sports doc genre. Unlike previous projects that typically revolve around legendary players, iconic moments, or backstage series like Netflix’s Starting 5, this series focuses on a single college athlete, Watkins, tracing her journey from high school all the way through her freshman year in college. Although it is only a matter of time before she turns pro, this series provides an initial glimpse into a future superstar. Intriguingly, On The Rise marks the first instance of a college athlete creating a docuseries about their own life while still competing in the NCAA.
Jamal Henderson from Uninterrupted remarks, ‘The Olympics seem to excel at this, don’t they? The thrilling, emotional content they provide really intensifies the excitement when watching events like bobsledding. If Caitlin [Clark] had access to such material during the Iowa games, it would have made viewing even more captivating. I believe this innovative approach to storytelling is the future, and that’s why we’re thrilled to be involved.’
According to Henderson, it was during the time when both Watkins and Bronny James were playing at Sierra Canyon that they initially crossed paths. Later on, Watkins decided to join Klutch Sports for her representation.
4.4 Forty Media’s Danny Barton notes that the rise in women’s basketball was becoming evident and everything around it was changing. However, it was also clear from the beginning that JuJu stood out uniquely among her peers, a quality he recognized even at that early stage. In fact, he recalls discussing this with Jamal when they first started working together and expressing his belief that they should film her because something remarkable was brewing, although they were unsure what exactly it would become.
The results of that project will now be showcased on NBC and Peacock, with Watkins expressing her eagerness for the nation to learn more about her personally.
She admits she’s quite private, not revealing much online. She feels it’s crucial to let others understand more about her, her family, and friends. After all, she identifies as an introvert, so this is her method of showing herself to the world a bit.
Moreover, with women’s basketball experiencing a significant surge in popularity at universities and in the WNBA, Henderson asserts that his business, which counts LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill among its investors, is prepared to capitalize on this growth trend.
According to Barton, if the first season of “On The Rise” performs well, it might signal potential future prospects for Watkins – maybe even as he ponders his decision about turning professional.
He mentions that we’re currently deliberating on the shape this project might take. As it matures, so too does the narrative, and its possibilities expand.
NBC, it’s worth mentioning, currently holds Big Ten broadcasting rights and will additionally acquire WNBA broadcasting rights starting from the next year. This expansion signifies a substantial growth in their offerings of women’s sports.
LeBron James, along with Maverick Carter, Devin Johnson, Jamal Henderson, and Philip Byron serve as executive producers for Uninterrupted. Additionally, Watkins, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, and Danny Barton of 4.4.Forty Media will also take on the role of executive producers. Nikki Spetseris acts as showrunner, while Amy Glickman Brown serves as co-executive producer for Uninterrupted.
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2024-11-11 17:27