Plot Synopsis

Narrated by Jemele Hill and executive produced by LeBron James and series director Gotham Chopra, SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE is a three-part documentary series that takes an inside look at the changing role of NBA athletes through the lens of our shifting cultural and political environment. Hill is among one of the many featured in the documentary that includes former NBA players, executives, sports journalists and pop-culture icons. This series chronicles the modern history of the NBA and its players, including the 1976 merger of the freewheeling ABA and the more conventional NBA. The league soon became an incubator for many of its top athletes to grow their brands beyond the court, becoming powerful players in commerce and fashion, and transcending the game to become cultural icons. The poignant series charts this evolution through the experience of basketball players, who by taking control of their own destinies have helped to bring about social change and use their platform for a broader purpose. The title of the series, SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE, is based on the remarks made by conservative pundit Laura Ingraham's about James in February 2018, following his ESPN interview with Cari Champion, during which he discussed politics, the President, and the challenges of being an African-American public figure in the USA.
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On Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT, Showtime premiered the finale of SHUT UP AND DRIBBLE. The very public brawl known as "Malice in the Palace" is the catalyst for new NBA rules. But it is also an opportunity for players to own their brands and create both social and financial equity for themselves. The NBA begins its transition to a "players' league," with players reaching unprecedented levels of economic and cultural influence. The murders of Trayvon Martin and Erik Garner create a chance for NBA players to stand up and be heard. In the present turbulent political era, players are now unwilling to just "shut up and dribble."