NBC has given a script commitment plus penalty to Brotherly Love, a single-camera comedy from 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons, NBA superstar LeBron James and his SpringHill Entertainment as well as former Fresh Off the Boat co-executive producer Kourtney Kang.
Written by Kang’s brother, Patrick Kang, and Michael Levin, Brotherly Love is inspired by the life of Ben Simmons and centers on a unique sibling relationship within a multi-ethnic family. Together, they pursue their dreams while navigating life in the spotlight in Philadelphia, a passionate city where sports is in your blood, and your blood is always boiling.
Kourtney Kang executive produces alongside LeBron James and Maverick Carter via their SpringHill Entertainment. Patrick Kang and Michael Levin serve as co-executive producers, while Ben Simmons and his brother Sean Tribe will be consulting producers. Warner Bros. TV, where SpringHill has a deal, is the studio.
There is a lot of shared real-life experience that will be going into crafting the story and characters of the comedy. Simmons was born and raised in Australia to an Australian mother and American-born professional basketball player father. The interracial couple raised their two kids, including Simmons, along with four other half-siblings, including Sean, as one big family.
Meanwhile, Kourtney Kang previously developed a single-camera comedy for NBC based on her childhood as the only sister among brothers, including Patrick. It explored growing up in the only mixed-race family in the suburbs of Philadelphia. That project went to pilot in 2017.
You can see the two pairs of siblings — the Kangs and Simmons/Tribe — as well as Levin in the group photo above.
