It was recently announced that a film centered around Streetball legend Grayson “The Professor” Boucher is headed to production. It was also announced that director Deon Taylor, along with the sports arm of his film company, the Hidden Empire Sports Collective, will be producing a film.
“Every generation gets an underdog story that reminds us what’s possible. This is one of those stories,” Taylor said. “Grayson wasn’t supposed to make the team, become a star, or change the game — but he did all three. His journey is about resilience, heart, and earning respect through relentless determination. It’s proof that extraordinary lives aren’t defined by the expectations placed upon us, but by the courage to defy them. That’s exactly the kind of story Hidden Empire Sports Collective was created to tell.”
Those of you that are not familiar with Taylor he's best known for projects such as Traffik, Black and Blue, The Intruder, and filmed the final episode of Power Book IV: Force. Other individuals that will be a part of the project on the producing side are Roxanne Avent Taylor, Jay Lyons, David Nurse, Jason Pamer and Neil Sacker. It was also reported that the screenplay is by Brad Gann, who is known for biographical sports drama films The Invincible, and Soul Surfer.
“More than a basketball movie,” an early synopsis explains, “this is a story about resilience, self-belief, and the courage to pursue an impossible dream.”
According to Variety.com, the story will follow Boucher, who is an undersized and unknown college athlete from Keizer, Oregon in a tryout with world renowned street basketball players. Boucher would go on to win a spot on the international AND1 Mixtape Tour, where he would go on to perform in more than 50 countries. He would go on to earn the nickname ‘The Professor’ for his ability to school other players on the basketball court.
“When I first connected with Deon, we discussed the film right away. Shortly after discovering his basketball history and the kind of respect he has in the industry and the work he’s done it was very clear that he is the perfect person to produce and direct this project. I’m blown away by what he’s built with Hidden Empire films, the team over there and the vision they have moving forward. My entrance into the global basketball scene with AND1 streetball changed my life forever, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience my journey on the big screen.”
The upcoming film is just the latest project for Hidden Empire Sports. Which recently announced that Deon Taylor will also be working with All-Pro defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. That project will be centered around his relationship with his late father. Hidden Empire is also behind “I am Hoop,” a docuseries, which focuses on fatherhood, mentorship and preparing youth basketball players for the world of the AAU scene. The project features NBA champion Trevor Ariza, NBA All-Star Zach Randolph, Boris Kodjoe and Deon Taylor, who were also former athletes.
