Retired Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and current 19-year NBA veteran LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers are producing a Netflix documentary titled The Redeem Team. The global release date is Oct. 7.
The film reveals the full story of the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team’s gold-medal pursuit during the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejing, China.
Additionally, in a press release, Wade mentioned, “I’m excited for everyone to get an opportunity to go behind the scenes and see all the work that went into this iconic team: the Redeem Team.”
In addition to Wade and James, Jon Weinbach helped produce the documentary.
Weinbach has produced and/or directed other sports films in the past, including The Other Dream Team (2012), The People’s Fighters: Teofilo Stevenson and the Legend of Cuban Boxing (2018) and The Last Dance (2020).
Dwayne Wade, LeBron James producing Netflix documentary titled ‘The Redeem Team’
In another interview with People, Operations Executive Mark Parkman was asked about the project. Of course, Parkman is also the general manager of the Olympic Channel.
“The Redeem Team will bring viewers directly inside that team and the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 by showcasing the personality and dynamics of a special group of superstars who came together as one to reclaim basketball supremacy on the biggest stage in sports.”
When Weinbach was asked by People about the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team, he thought the Redeem Team was special in more ways than one. “These guys had lost not once, not twice, but three times…I wanted to remind people why it was a redemption,” explained Weinbach.
“I felt that the guys really wanted to talk about this. They’ve all won stuff. They’ve all done incredible things. But I think the enthusiasm, the candor and the emotion they brought showed that they wanted to honor the memory of the team and the significance of it.”
“At one point, we were six for six in interviews that ended in tears,” continued Weinbach. “It was so clearly emotional for the guys on this team.”
Furthermore, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant already commented on the documentary. On Twitter, he tweeted this message: “Need it yesterday. Can’t wait to lock in.”
Needed it yesterday. Can’t wait to lock in https://t.co/oU4CduOXfb
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) August 19, 2022
In the 2008 Summer Olympics gold-medal game, Team USA defeated Team Spain by a final score of 118-107. The game was played on August 24, 2008. Spain competed as the reigning 2006 champions.
Plus, in the gold-medal matchup, Dwyane Wade scored a team-high 27 points in 27 minutes of action. He also finished with 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals. The Redeem Team went undefeated.
Team USA won gold medals for the first time since 2000
After the team finished 10-0 and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, LeBron James was asked about Team USA’s loss at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
“I don’t think we understood what it meant to put on a USA uniform and all the people that we were representing in 2004,” said James. “We definitely know that now.”
In the final game against Spain, King James ended his performance with 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. The Netflix documentary should be an interesting watch.
Moreover, the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team won the gold medal for the first time since 2000. They received ‘The Redeem Team’ nickname because it was the team’s redemption arc.
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