*NBA legend Jalen Rose is making his mark in the world of scripted television, and two newly released clips from his debut series offer a striking preview of what viewers can expect.
“South West High,” the first original project from Rose’s Detroit-based production company Same Page Entertainment, premiered on Tubi on February 23 and centers on a former professional basketball player who returns to his troubled alma mater as principal. Rose stars as Nolan Thomas, a onetime pro baller who believes discipline, leadership, and heart can pull a struggling inner-city school back from the edge of collapse.
The five-episode series was co-created and executive produced by Rose alongside Ty Mopkins and Dennis Reed II, who also wrote and directed the project. GRAMMY Award-nominated Detroit rapper Royce 5’9″ served as music supervisor and composed the original score with Denaun Porter.
The first clip wastes no time establishing the volatile environment Nolan is walking into. Two young men ambush a fellow student in an attempt to settle a score, but the confrontation quickly unravels when a pregnant student is accidentally knocked to the ground. The jarring moment captures how swiftly unchecked aggression can spiral and pull innocent people into its path. Watch the exclusive preview above.
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The second clip shifts the tension inward, placing two half-brothers in front of Principal Thomas as he works to defuse the conflict pulling them apart. Gang affiliations have driven a wedge between the siblings, and Nolan pushes them to look past street loyalties and hold onto something more lasting — the bond of family. Whether his words land is another matter entirely. Check out the sneak peek below.
The series features a cast that includes Dawn Halfkenny, Towanda Braxton of “Braxton Family Values,” Christina Cooper, Stevie Baggs Jr., Brooklyn “Queen” Oates, and Don Brumfield Jr. Guest stars include Anna Maria Horsford, Detroit rapper Sada Baby, and FOX 2 Detroit news anchor Maurielle Lue.
Rose drew from his experience founding the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in Detroit in 2011 to shape the spirit of the series. “Since opening the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy in 2011, I’ve had a front-row seat to the determination, resilience and ambition of young people in Detroit,” Rose said. “This series is fiction, but the spirit behind it is very real. I wanted to share stories that reflect what I’ve witnessed for years – young people lifting each other up and believing in a future full of possibility.”
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Exclusive First Look: Jalen Rose Brings Heart and Grit to New TV Series ‘South West High’ on Tubi
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