If you’re a sports fan who’s looking for a new show to watch, Apple TV’s Swagger is exactly what you’re looking for. The show centers around a middle school basketball star named Jace Carson (Isaiah Hill) who is considered the best player in his area and a future NBA prospect. Although Isaiah has a bright future ahead of him, he still has to deal with the everyday challenges of being a teenager. Although many of the show’s cast members are relative newcomers to the entertainment industry, they have done a great job bringing their characters to life. Once you start watching the first episode, you’ll probably be hooked. Keep reading to learn 10 things you didn’t know about Swagger.
1. The Series Was Inspired By Kevin Durant’s Life
Like every good piece of fiction, Swagger starts with a hint of truth. The series is very loosely based on the early life of NBA superstar Kevin Durant. It is also set in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area which is where he’s from. Additionally, Kevin is one of the executive producers for the project.
2. The Series Was Filmed In Virginia
According to The Cinemaholic, Swagger was filmed in various locations throughout Virginia. Although Virginia is part of the DMV area, only the northern part of the state is included in the DMV. By most people’s standards, Richmond is not a part of the DMV area.
3. The Actors Aren’t Really In Middle School
As mentioned earlier, the series focuses on a middle school basketball team. However, the main actors aren’t actually in middle school. Isaiah Hill, the actor who plays Jace, is actually 19 years old. Quvenzhané Wallis, who plays Jace’s best friend, Crystal, is actually 18.
4. The Show Has Been Compared To Friday Night Lights
Even though Swagger is still in its first season, it has already been getting a lot of praise. In fact, an article from The L.A. Times compared Swagger to the hit high school football series Friday Night Lights. As the article states, “Swagger” has much more on its agenda than the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Fractured Black families, racism, sexual misconduct, the overwhelming impact of social media and the lucrative intrusion by major sporting goods companies into youth athletics are among the themes explored.”
5. The Actor Are Really Playing Basketball
Oftentimes when you watch shows about sports, the athletic scenes aren’t always filmed entirely by the actors. Instead, the footage is edited in a way that makes them look talented. That, however, isn’t the case with Swagger. O’Shea Jackson Jr., who plays Jace’s coach, told Complex that director Reggie Bythewood told him, “The way I want to shoot this is, we’re not about to just let you just shoot a jumper and then we cut to the ball. You’re going to have to make these. I hope you bring it”.
6. It’s Unclear If The Show Will Get Another Season
At the moment, Swagger is still in the middle of its first season. Apple TV hasn’t made an announcement regarding whether or not the show will be brought back for a second season. In reality, however, the chances of Swagger being renewed seem pretty likely.
7. Not All Of The Episodes Were Released At Once
Now that streaming has become the primary way many people consume TV shows, many of us have gotten used to entire seasons being released at once. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case for Swagger. The first three episodes were released on October 29, 2021, with subsequent episodes being released every week.
8. The Show Doesn’t Have Any Social Media Profiles
Many people enjoy following their favorite shows on social media because it allows them to stay in the loop with updates and access clips and other footage. Sadly, that won’t be an option for fans of Swagger. The series doesn’t have any official social media accounts, but that could change if the show gets renewed.
9. The Show Has An Interesting Connection To Lauryn Hill
You may be wondering how Lauryn Hill could possibly be connected to a show about youth basketball, but the connection is closer than you may have imagined. The show’s star, Isaiah Hill, is Lauryn Hill’s nephew. Isaiah’s father, Malaney, is Lauryn’s older brother.
10. Filming Was Paused Due To COVID
Like almost every other show in the world, Swagger’s production had to be halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For a while, it was unclear if filming would ever be completed. Thankfully, the season was completed and they even included the realities of the pandemic in the storyline.Kevin Durant
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