9 Story teams up with NBPA on new shows

The Toronto-based media group is going for a slam dunk right from the tip-off with hybrid series King of the Court and live-action project Streetball.

9 Story Media Group is taking a shot on basketball programming in a new partnership with THINK450, the content arm of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).

To kick things off, 9 Story’s Angela Santomero, Alyson Piekarsky and Halcyon Person are co-creating CG/live-action hybrid King of the Court, and Person is also working on a live-actioner called Streetball that targets kids ages six to 11.

King of the Court is a preschool series that’s set to have 11-minute episodes, according to a 9 Story spokesperson. Streetball is a 22-minute single camera comedy about a young girl whose love of basketball is explored through her everyday adventures and fantastical daydreams.

This deal was brokered by Keith Dawkins’ media company Rock Hill Media Ventures, which represents all 450 athletes in the NBPA when it comes to kids and family entertainment opportunities.

9 Story has been leaning on big names recently, joining forces with actor Jack McBrayer to produce Jack! The Kindness Show for Apple TV+, and partnering with rapper and actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges to create CG-animated Karma’s World for Netflix.

From Kidscreen. Photo courtesy of Rock Hill Media Ventures and the NBPA.