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LeBron James Executive Producer for Student-Athlete Exploitation HBO Documentary

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured ColumnistJune 11, 2018

CLEVELAND, CA - JUN 8:  LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks to the media after being defeated by the Golden State Warriors in Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals won 108-85 by the Golden State Warriors over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Quicken Loans Arena on June 6, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
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LeBron James will serve as a producer for the upcoming HBO Sports documentary "Student Athlete," which will examine "the complex rules of amateur athletics in America" and "how they affect uncompensated athletes and their families," according to a press release.

"This is an incredibly important story about the institutional denial of basic human rights for these student-athletes," the CEO of SpringHill Entertainment, Maverick Carter, said in a statement. "When Steve Stoute [at United Masters] brought us this idea, it was a perfect fit for the kind of stories we want to tell at SpringHill."

James and Carter founded SpringHill Entertainment.

Stoute noted that the documentary aims to show the hypocrisy and shortcomings of the amateurism model employed by the NCAA:

"The NCAA blinded by revenue goals is turning student athletes into full-time employees. This documentary is incredibly important as it debunks the myth that student athletes are being fairly compensated by receiving scholarships and a valuable education. In fact, the demands put on these students by this oppressive system makes it impossible for them to get the education they deserve. The time is now to end this false narrative and reveal the truth of this exploitation."

The film will focus on men's college basketball and football. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton are directing the project. 

Past SpringHill Entertainment documentaries have included "More Than A Game" and "I Am Giant: Victor Cruz."