Barack Obama’s role in Netflix’s starting 5 documentary explained

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Starting 5.

Netflix’s new docuseries Start 5 was executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama. Start 5 Offers a wide Dive into the 2023-24 NBA season through the exclusive lenses of five elite players. Directed by Peter J. Scalettar (Top team) and executive produced by Peyton Manning (quarterback) and the Obamas (Leave the world behind), Start 5 Takes a behind-the-scenes look at the off-the-court lives of five of the NBA’s biggest stars. Start 5 Follow Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings, Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Start 5 Also includes never-before-seen footage of the five NBA talents during the regular season and playoffs, including previously unreleased audio and in-game commentary between players, coaches and other NBA personnel. The biggest reveals in Start 5 Share some of the common themes between the five NBA superstars, such as their personal battles with injury, legacy and fame, as well as their roles as fathers, partners and public figures. Start 5 Has a great soundtrack and releases just one day after the start of the 2024-2025 NBA preseason, Chronicle the entire 2023-2024 season until the Boston Celtics’ NBA Finals victory In June 2024.

Barack & Michelle Obama are executive producers on Starting 5

Peyton Manning and Maverick Carter are also executive producers

Barack and Michelle Obama are both executive producers of Netflix Start 5. Although none of them appear in the new Netflix docuseries, they each played a crucial role in bringing the project to life, likely taking on the roles of funding the project and other responsibilities that require executive oversight. The other executive producers of Start 5 include director Peter J. Scalettar, Philip Byron (The shop), Maverick Carter (Hassle), and Vinnie Malhotra (Goliath). Barack Obama is a two-time Emmy winner for his voiceover work As the narrator of the Netflix nature documentary Our great national parks (2022) and docuseries Work: What we do every day (2023).

Neither Barack nor Michelle Obama have commented on Starting 5 or promoted the series in any way on social media, which is understandable given the proximity to the 2024 election. Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions is co-producing the Netflix docuseries along with LeBron James’ production and media company Uninterrupted and Peyton Manning’s production company Omaha Productions. Start 5 marks the First collaboration between LeBron James’ Uninterrupted and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions. This is also the first collaboration with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions.

Barack Obama is a huge basketball fan

Magic Johnson came out of retirement to perform on his 50th birthday

Of all the projects Barack Obama has produced since launching Higher Ground Productions in 2018, Start 5 is arguably the one that makes the most sense based on his personality and extracurricular interests. Obama has several Viral clips of him playing basketball While he was president of the United States, including one that shows him buying a triple-decker before leaving and saying “That’s what I do!“Obama played varsity basketball in high school and carried his love of the game throughout his life even through his time in the White House, where he was known to host iconic basketball games.

According to The official website of the White HouseBarack Obama customized the White House to have its first-ever full-length basketball court. “Shortly after taking office, President Obama had the White House tennis court adapted so that it could be used for both tennis and basketball. The White House has had a smaller outdoor court since 1991, but the adapted tennis court allows enough room for a full-court game of basketball..” Magic Johnson even came out of retirement to ball with Obama at the White House On the former president’s 50th birthday, which NBA stars such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Bill Russell, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose and Alonzo Mourning also attended (via Sports Illustrated).

What else did Barack and Michelle Obama produce at Netflix?

The Obamas have produced several series, documentaries and films

Through Higher Ground Productions, Barack and Michelle Obama have been executive producers on several other notable projects other than Start 5. They were involved in Netflix’s dystopian movie Leave the world behind Starring Ethan Hawke, Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali. They also produced the 2024 Netflix murder mystery series Bodkin What a star SNL Aluminum Wheel Forte and the 2023 Oscar-nominated movie Rustin Starring Colman Domingo. Higher Ground also co-produced 2023’s American SymphonyA music documentary with 5-time Grammy winner Jon Batiste. Still Start 5The Obamas are set to produce several new projects, such as an untitled 2024 Paris Olympics documentary.

Sources: The White House, Sports Illustrated