Warner Bros. is taking its shot at telling the story of Kobe Bryant’s rise to the NBA.

The studio has picked up With the 8th Pick, a new film project centered on the high-stakes 1996 draft that set the late Lakers legend on the path to becoming one of basketball’s most iconic players, The InSneider confirmed.

Written by Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen, the spec script focuses on the New Jersey Nets and then-general manager John Nash, who at the time held the No. 8 pick and seriously considered taking the teenage Bryant straight out of high school. Instead, the Charlotte Hornets selected him at No. 13 before dealing him to the Los Angeles Lakers — the move that launched his Hall of Fame career.

The project is described as a cross between Moneyball, The Social Network, and Air — blending front-office intrigue, high-pressure negotiations, and the kind of “what if” moments that could have reshaped the NBA.

Producers include Tim and Trevor White for Star Thrower Entertainment, Ryan Stowell for Religion of Sports, and Gotham Chopra, who co-founded Religion of Sports alongside Tom Brady and Michael Strahan. A director has not yet been attached.

Bryant, of course, went on to win five championships with the Lakers alongside Shaquille O’Neal under coach Phil Jackson. He died tragically in 2020 at age 41, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, in a helicopter crash.

Sohn, who’s also penning Netflix’s John Madden biopic, is repped by Verve and Lit Agency. Johannsen is repped by Verve and Gotham.