The 2015 football-focused comedy Ballers garnered five Emmy nods across its five seasons on HBO.
The series is centered around Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson‘s Spencer Strasmore, a former football star who wants to translate his success to current players as their financial manager. He is guided by his boss Joe Krutel (Rob Corddry), who directs him to “monetize his friendships” in order to attain success.
Corddry previously told Decider that his character Joe was a “prodigy when it comes to the numbers,”and has a certain level of relatability to a friend that “we’ve all got” in our lives.”
The two assist Ricky Jerret (John David Washington), an NFL receiver. Washington actually played football himself at Morehouse College, and in May 2006, signed with the LA Rams as an undrafted free agent, which meant that he could sign with other clubs or franchises. He was released by the team that August.
With its realistic characters, is Ballers based on a true story? Where can you stream the series since its finale in 2019? Read on to find out.
Is Ballers based on a true story?
The answer is no. According to ScreenRant, the show features real-life players, professional teams, and personnel to craft a seemingly authentic production, but the storyline is not based on any individual in particular.
Interestingly enough, the show’s principal cast has further connections to football. In addition to Washington’s history with the sport, The Rock played on the University of Miami’s football team, per Sports Illustrated.
Where can I watch Ballers?
The series is now streaming on both Max and Netflix, as it just became available on the latter platform on Aug. 15, per Netflx’s Tudum. Despite it being a HBO series, the show was shopped to Netflix in a Warner Bros. Discovery deal that took place earlier this summer.
