History Channel orders three docs from LeBron James’ SpringHill Company

LeBron James (left) and Maverick Carter

A+E Networks-owned US cablenet History has commissioned a trio of documentaries from LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s production outfit The SpringHill Company.

The companies said the goal of the deal is to “prioritise largely unknown historical stories that put diverse changemakers at the forefront of each narrative.”

The first project commissioned through the deal is Triumph: Jesse Owens & the Berlin Olympics (working title), a two-hour doc about the American track and field athlete’s triumph over Nazi Germany during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Don Cheadle (Carry On) is narrating the project.

The companies are also developing a documentary about the life and legacy of Native American Olympian Jim Thorpe, whose prowess across baseball, football and basketball have led him to be considered among the greatest athletes of all time.

Both projects are being produced by SpringHill label Uninterrupted for The History Channel. The Jesse Owens doc is produced alongside Cinemation Studios in association with GroupM Motion Entertainment, while the Jim Thorpe doc is being produced with INE Entertainment, Five All in the Fifth and GroupM Motion Entertainment.

A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights to both projects. The companies said they will release details about the third documentary at a later date.