A conversation with Karin Hammerberg, executive producer for Bleacher Report’s viral short “She Got Game.”
Last week was the 20th anniversary of Spike Lee’s He Got Game, one of the seminal basketball moves of all time. In honor of that landmark film, Bleacher Report took it upon themselves to make a trailer for a sequel film. The twist — She Got Game had women filling every role on the production from producing on down to technical staff. The short was directed by Va$htie and stars WNBA player Jewell Loyd, in the role that references Ray Allen’s Jesus Shuttlesworth.
The story told in this trailer is different than the one in Spike’s original film. Lloyd plays Faith Mothershed, a transcendent high school project caught up in national buzz and looking to make the best decision about her future for herself, her career and her ill mother. In an homage to the original film, Mothershed comes from the same Coney Island projects as Allen’s fictional character.
You can view the entire trailer below.
Our own Kayla Knierim was lucky enough to interview the short’s executive producer, Karin Hammerberg, about the project.
The short also features Yolonda Ross (from The Chi), Lin Tucci (Orange is the New Black), Catherine A Callahan (Billions), and Cappie Pondexter even makes an appearance. Other cameos include Ros Gold-Onwude, Candace Parker, Desus and Mero, and Shaquille O’Neal. It really is a knockout cast and an impressive reimagining of the original film, offering a new spin for a new era of basketball. Kudos to Bleacher Report and the entire team who collaborated on this project.
Next: The WNBA’s top 20 players, ranked
It would be incredible to see this film transformed from a trailer, a snapshot of an idea, into a fully-realized feature-length film. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last we’ve seen from Faith Mothershed.