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Showtime will premiere its documentary film The Drew, exploring the history of a pro-am basketball league in the heart of South Central Los Angeles, on Friday, April 29 at 8 p.m.
From producer and two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis, the film chronicles the unlikely rise of the institution, the men and women who made it possible, and the unifying, positive force it has become.
“The Drew is a special place to me, so I wanted to create this documentary to break down walls and open people up to a world where they may not have gone to otherwise,” Davis said in a statement. “We didn’t sugarcoat it, or over dramatize it, or glamorize it. We’re showing what it’s like for many of us who have come out of, and still come back to, South Central LA, while sharing an uplifting story about a community that truly cares about one another.”
Over the course of 40 years, The Drew League has become one of the most elite summer pro-am leagues in the world. Starting from humble beginnings in a junior high-school gymnasium in the 1970s, deep in the crime- and gang-infested blocks of South Central Los Angeles, the league has evolved from a community beacon to a nationally-renowned basketball destination for NBA stars such as DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, Brandon Jennings and more.
The league has jump-started careers, expanded existing ones and created a place where ball players in LA and beyond can come together, put their life situations aside and play the game.
The Drew was an official selection at the 2015 Los Angeles Film Festival, and is narrated by rapper, actor and television host Xzibit.
Davis collaborated on the film with co-director Chad Gordon and producers Erikka Yancy, Gus Roxburgh, Stefan Sonnenfeld, Ali Brown and Paul Hunter.
Showtime Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager Stephen Espinoza said The Drew tells an inspiring story of perseverance and success in the face of racial, cultural and socioeconomic barriers, that the network wanted to share.
“Baron Davis and his team have captured the power of sports, showing how pure competition at any level can bridge divides,” Espinoza said. “We are proud to bring this important film to our subscribers.”
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