The 4 Best Lebron James Documentaries & Series (Ranked)

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There are surprisingly few docs on LeBron James.

In February 2024, I heard LeBron share with the Wall Street Journal (see below) that he wants to make sure that no documentary about him interferes with the one he wants to do with his business partner Maverick Carter.

Makes sense.

In the meantime, I’ve listed the docs and interviews I know of about LeBron.

Enjoy!

1) More Than a Game (2008)

Yeah, so you probably know the basics already—kid named LeBron James, basketball phenom at an absurdly young age, gets drafted straight out of high school by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, yadda yadda yadda.

But “More Than a Game” takes things back even further, to when King James was just Prince James.

Young LeBron was a gangly middle schooler ripping through older competition on the AAU circuit like a hot knife through I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.

Director Kristopher Belman trails young LeBron and his talented teammates for nearly a decade in this 112 minute doc.

Watch Prince James & team transform from scrawny preteens rocking frosted tips and oversized Tall Tees into a national powerhouse at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School capable of selling out college arenas.

I’m talking connoisseurs bringing wine glasses and cheese plates to high school games. It’s nuts.

And there are lots of never-before-seen moments that NBA fans will eat up.

Teenage LeBron casually breaks entire backboards in layup lines (fans sneak shards for souvenirs).

There’s goofing on teammates’ horrific 90s-style chin straps.

And LeBron even misses a dunk or two like an actual human being (before promptly punching the gym wall like the Incredible Hulk).

More Than A Game’s got heart, an underdog’s spirit and a brotherly camaraderie between LeBron and his best buds.

Plus, it’s got a bonus for Clevelanders still smarting from The Decision — the doc stops short before reliving some painful memories.

Clevelanders get to skip missed free throws against the Warriors or cowardly betrayals under the cloak of night or curses named Dan Gilbert’s Comic Sans Font.

Watch “More Than a Game”:

For the latest options to stream “More Than a Game”, check out https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/more-than-a-game

2) 60 Minutes Interview with Lebron (2009)

Steve Kroft interviewed LeBron for a 60 Minutes episode that aired March 29, 2009.

Lebron was 24 years old at the time and still playing for his first team: the Cleveland Cavaliers (who drafted him on June 26, 2003).

Some highlights of the interview:

  • LeBron credits his Mom Gloria James (who had Lebron at 16 as a single mom) for much of his success.
  • His high school basketball success led to national attention, and by age 12, he was already being scouted by professional teams.
  • At 20, he was already playing for the Cavs and considered a prodigy
  • LeBron’s NBA journey began with a multi-million dollar contract with the Cavaliers and a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike.
  • He made NBA history with his clutch performances, including single-handedly scoring his team’s last 25 points in a crucial game.
  • LeBron took control of his image by starting his own company with childhood friends, aiming for long-term success beyond basketball.
  • Despite initial skepticism, LeBron’s business acumen and partnerships have earned him credibility in the sports business world.
  • He values success beyond basketball, talking about his talents in comedy, hosting, and fashion, while maintaining focus on winning NBA championships.
  • In 2009, LeBron James is the third biggest name in sports behind Tiger Woods and David Beckham with earnings of $40 million on and off the court last year.
  • He considers his mental game his strongest skill.
  • At 24, LeBron is already having his best NBA season yet, with hopes of securing an NBA championship.
  • His long-term goal (as of 2019) is to become the first billion-dollar sports brand (that’s working out well!)

Watch the Lebron James interview on 60 Minutes for free on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/1qYESuuAimI?feature=shared&t=1623 (the link should start at the 27m 03s spot so you can skip over the other 60 Minutes segments).

3) Charlie Rose Interviews LeBron James and Kristopher Belman (2009)

This is a September 25, 2009 Charlie Rose interview of Lebron and filmmaker Kristopher Belman discussing their documentary “More Than a Game”.

About 80% of the questions are for LeBron but Belman providing a fascinating “fly on the wall” take on LeBron.

“More Than a Game” began as a college project of Belman’s. It ended up taking 7-years to finish.

Belman calls the doc about LeBron and team a story of “The American Dream”.

LeBron shares updates on the rest of the players his highschool days.

LeBron shares the usual stuff about his mom’s influence and his humble beginings.

It’s also cool to get a documentarian (Belman)’s take on knowing LeBron during this period.

For instance, Belman says “LeBron was always a natural in front of the camera”.

It’s also cool to watch LeBron during a period before he’s won an NBA championship. And he talks about losing to the Lakers the previous season.

And LeBron says he looks forward to getting “a low post presence I haven’t had” (Shaq is joining LeBron on The Heat the next season).

Charlie is a great interviewer and asks LeBron “Who succeeds Michael [Jordan] as the greatest player in the game”.

LeBron gives a diplomatic answer that “No one can succeed Michael.”

I wish LeBron would have been more honest (I would think he, at the time of the interview, would think he (LeBron) would be the best ever).

It’s fun to wonder what Kobe’s answer would have been to this?

LeBron lists his #1 hero as his mother.

Watching this interview, it’s fun to think about whether LeBron (and Maverick) will chose Belman to direct the definitive documentary that LeBron refers to in 2024 (see the Netflix Series Wall Street Journal backstory below).

Watch the Charlie Rose interview of LeBron for free here: https://charlierose.com/videos/18938

4) The Shop: Uninterrupted (2020 to 2024)

King James and his business pal Maverick Carter created “The Shop: Uninterrupted” TV series with over 20 million views across platforms for their funky barbershop banter with celeb guests.

Each episode has LeBron, Maverick and friends like setting up shop (pun intended) in actual barbershops and salons to chop it up with A-listers.

Guests include Drake, Snoop, Antonio Brown, Tom Brady, Jay Z, Bad Bunny and even President Obama.

They chatter on topics from rap beefs to politics and beyond.

Now airing Season 5, they’ve got spinoff projects like a live tour and a podcast in the works.

Fans just can’t get enough of this behind-the-scenes peek at their favorite stars in unfiltered conversations.

Like Drake unpacking his rift with Kanye West or Antonio Brown slamming his former Steelers squad.

You can count on the latest with Kyrie Irving and make sure to check out the episode with Steve Stoute and the Jay Z appearance.

Between LeBron’s clout and Carter’s business savvy, The Shop: Uninterrupted is sports-meets-culture.

But watch out for Drake’s phone during his next visit. I hear he’s still dodging Kanye’s calls.

Watch all the seasons of “The Shop” on HBO’s Max or 2 seasons on Apple TV. Roku and Tubi seem to have one season at a time. You can also buy seasons on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play and Vudu.

Check here for the latest streaming options: https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/the-shop-uninterrupted.

There also a bunch of clips of “The Shop” for free on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@Uninterrupted/playlists

Coming Soon: Netflix Docuseries on Lebron James and 4 Other NBA Players

On January 10, 2024, Shams Charania broke the story that Netflix is creating a new documentary series modeled after the NFL’s “Quarterback” show.

It’s going to feature Lebron James, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards and Domantas Sabonis.

Netflix is partnering with the NBA and SpringHill Company (Lebron James and Maverick Carter’s entertainment development and production co.).

The origin story for the series, according to The WSJ, dates back to long-time conversations between LeBron and his long-time friend and biz partner Maverick Carter:

“Every summer for years, James and Carter have gone on vacation together with their families on a yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. A question would pop up: Why aren’t we doing our own version of HBO’s “Hard Knocks”? It was a frequent conversation.

James, a lover of all things football, is a huge fan of the HBO show, which each year follows a different NFL team’s preseason training camp. When “Quarterback” became a big hit for Netflix, James saw an opportunity to press forward with a similar basketball show.

Getting the NBA to sign on was step 1. SpringHill had been cultivating its ties with the league for years. It cast a number of NBA players in “Hustle,” which helped build trust between the two sides. After the NBA and Netflix signed up for the idea of an NBA reality series, it was time to find the players.

James was interested in participating, but he had one key question: How would this affect a documentary of his life if he decides to do that someday? “It’s the only question he cares about,” Carter said.

Carter told him not to worry—the show wouldn’t preclude a documentary spanning his career.”

— Excerpt from Jessica Toonkel’s “The Insatiable Ambition of Lebron James” in the WSJ on February 15, 2024

The new Netflix Docuseries on Lebron and co. is unnamed with no release date.

Thanks for reading!

Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc

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