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[Saba Sports News] Just hours after delivering a dominant triple-double performance on the court, LeBron James found himself in a very different kind of spotlight.
Filmmaker and screenwriter Rob Grabow has filed a lawsuit against James, Netflix, and the SpringHill Company, accusing them of lifting elements from his original screenplay The Gift of the Game to create the 2023 Netflix film Rez Ball, according to TMZ.
The 25-page complaint, filed Thursday in a California federal court, alleges copyright infringement, breach of contract, and other legal violations.
Grabow—who wrote and directed the 2022 indie drama The Year of the Dog—says his script focused on a Native American high school basketball player who leads his underdog team to a state championship.
He argues that Rez Ball mirrors his work in its themes, characters, settings, and even specific scenes.
While Rez Ball is said to be adapted from a separate book, Grabow claims the similarities are too significant to ignore.
His lawsuit lays out direct comparisons between the two stories—pointing to nearly identical protagonists, a parallel narrative arc, and a key climactic moment involving a foul on a potential game-winning shot.
Grabow contends that both works share central themes of perseverance, community, and cultural identity.
He also highlights similarities in the emotional tone, dialogue, pacing, and character development, particularly in how the protagonist overcomes obstacles and leads his team through a meaningful championship journey.
Crucially, the suit alleges that individuals tied to LeBron James and SpringHill had access to Grabow’s script, which he developed with the intention of uplifting Native American voices and high school sports narratives. He is seeking damages—amount unspecified—for what he claims is the unauthorized use of his material.
The timing of the lawsuit is notable, as both Netflix and SpringHill are enjoying momentum from recent projects centered on sports and social storytelling. But Grabow’s claims now cast a shadow over Rez Ball, raising questions about how the film was conceived and whether proper credit and rights were observed during its production.
Neither LeBron James nor Netflix has issued a statement in response to the lawsuit. But the legal battle could carry serious implications for how creative works are handled in the entertainment world, particularly when it comes to adaptations, originality, and protecting the voices behind the stories.