In a pairing no one saw coming, two NBA superstars—the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Philadelphia 76er Joel Embiid—will be playing on the same team, sort of.
According to Variety, the league’s highest-scoring player of all time and the current NBA MVP are collaborating to launch a production studio called Miniature Géant. Embiid runs the new studio backed by the SpringHill Company, a media venture created by James and partner Maverick Carter.
“We want to do as much as we can to inspire,” said Embiid in a written statement. “I want it to be successful, but I want it done the right way. The whole goal is just to try to tell people’s stories and use my platform to inspire the next generation.”
Boardroom reports that Miniature Géant will produce unscripted, scripted, audio, and branded stories that showcase people who have pursued nontraditional avenues to success. One of the company’s first projects is a documentary showing the path Embiid himself took from the streets of Yaoundé, Cameroon, to his current role as a six-time NBA all-star who was recently named the league’s most valuable player.
“Joel Embiid is one of the greatest basketball players of this generation, but he’s an even better human being. He’s incredibly smart, funny, and thoughtful, and we’re really lucky to have this opportunity to work with him as he shares his unique point of view with the world,” Maverick Carter said. “At SpringHill, our mission is empowerment, and [James’ project] UNINTERRUPTED was built to empower athletes as creators so they can create important and impactful content. Joel is the perfect person to do this with.”
The SpringHill Company plans to provide production, development, and strategic resources to Miniature Géant, positioning the company to focus its storytelling on Black audiences.