--- description: Showtime has announced a new documentary series with NBA star LeBron James as executive producer title: LeBron James Producing Showtime Series 'Shut Up and Dribble' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt93597c8970792f64/69893723e76ad22633632acc/ap18218824195620.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Television](/tag/television/) ## Television Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # LeBron James Will Produce a Showtime Mini-Series Inspired by Laura Ingraham's Insult by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 7, 2018 5:40 AM CUT  LeBron James speaks at the opening ceremony for the I Promise School in Akron, Ohio on July 30, 2018. LeBron James speaks at the opening ceremony for the I Promise School in Akron, Ohio on July 30, 2018.Phil Long—AP by [Eli Meixler](/author/eli/) ## Eli Meixler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 7, 2018 5:40 AM CUT Showtime has [announced a new documentary series](https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/lebron-james-shut-up-and-dribble-showtime-1202896065/ "undefined") about the changing role of professional athletes in today’s political environment, with NBA star LeBron James as executive producer. The title of the three-part series, _Shut Up and Dribble_, is a not-so-subtle reference to the words used by Fox News host Laura Ingraham in February, when she [went on air to denounce](https://www.si.com/nba/2018/02/16/fox-news-laura-ingraham-lebron-james-president-donald-trump-shut-dribble "undefined") the basketball star’s criticism of President Donald Trump. “Millions elected Trump to be their coach,” Ingraham said after insulting James’ intelligence. “So keep the political commentary to yourself or, as someone once said, shut up and dribble.” The new show is scheduled to premier in October, the same month James will [make his debut](http://time.com/5327813/lebron-james-nba-la-lakers/ "undefined") with the Los Angeles Lakers, Variety reports. “If being a star athlete is inherently a political experience, _Shut Up and Dribble_ tells that complex and dramatic story from the past to the present and from the inside out,” Showtime President David Nevins said in a statement, according to _Variety_. “LeBron James is one of many competitors whose place in the spotlight has led not to silence but perspective,” Nevins said, adding that the series “should bring their fans and fellow citizens to a higher level of discourse, rather than the dismissal satirized in the title.” James has made no secret of his political opinions, calling Trump [“a bum”](http://time.com/4956223/donald-trump-lebron-james-nfl/ "undefined") last year and telling CNN’s Don Lemon last week that he would “would never sit across” from the president, prompting Trump to insult James’ intelligence. James spoke to Lemon from his new “[I Promise school](http://time.com/money/5354265/lebron-james-i-promise-school-akron/ "undefined"),” which will [support at-risk students](http://time.com/4735843/lebron-james-public-school-akron/ "undefined") in his native Akron, Ohio. **Read more**: [_With LeBron James Tweet, President Trump’s War on Sports Hits a New Low_](http://time.com/5357968/with-lebron-james-tweet-president-trumps-war-on-sports-hits-a-new-low/ "undefined") _Shut Up and Dribble_ is just one of James’ [upcoming entertainment projects](https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/06/entertainment/lebron-james-showtime-docuseries/index.html "undefined"). His barbershop-set talk show, _The Shop_, is set to premier on HBO on Aug. 28, CNN reports. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5359481/lebron-james-shut-up-dribble/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5359481/lebron-james-shut-up-dribble/"},"headline":"LeBron James Will Produce a Showtime Mini-Series Inspired by Laura Ingraham's Insult","datePublished":"2018-08-07T05:40:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T21:04:40.726Z","description":"The title, Shut Up and Dribble, is a reference to an on-air insult by the Fox News host","url":"https://time.com/5359481/lebron-james-shut-up-dribble/","keywords":["Television","onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt93597c8970792f64/69893723e76ad22633632acc/ap18218824195620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eli Meixler","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eli/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt93597c8970792f64/69893723e76ad22633632acc/ap18218824195620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"LeBron James","caption":"LeBron James","creditText":"Phil Long—AP","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/television/","name":"Television"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5359481/lebron-james-shut-up-dribble/","name":"LeBron James Will Produce a Showtime Mini-Series Inspired by Laura Ingraham's Insult"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"'Our President Is Trying to Divide Us.' 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