'The Crossover': Get an Intimate Look at Disney Plus' Poetic Coming-of-Age Basketball Series (Exclusive)

The Crossover
Disney Plus YouTube

The LeBron James-produced series begins streaming on April 5 on Disney+.

"Basketball rule number 1: in the game of life, family is the court, ball is your heart." 

So narrates Daveed Diggs in this special look at the new Disney+ series, The Crossover. The actor is one of the many familiar names in the star-studded cast of the upcoming series based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel in-verse by Kwame Alexander. 

In ET's exclusive featurette, the show's stars provide their own insight into what audiences will learn when they meet The Crossover's Bell family. The series follows twin brothers Josh "Filthy" Bell and Jordan "J.B." Bell, widely considered teen basketball phenoms, as they navigate life at school and at home. All American's Jalyn Hall plays young Filthy alongside Amir O'Neil as young JB. Darone Okolie and newcomer Himie Freeman portray the adult versions of Filthy and J.B., respectively, while Diggs serves as narrator. 

"Crossover is about two brothers. They love words and they love basketball. We're gonna have kids excited and engaged, and ultimately it's going to be inspiring and empowering," Alexander says in ET's exclusive preview. "The crossover is a basketball metaphor. How do we figure out how to adapt to the things in our lives when they begin to change."

"I'm hoping that this show ignites a culture of bookclubs in urban neighborhoods that had never started before," star Derek Luke adds.

Although the Bell brothers are an undeniable force on the basketball court, they struggle with growing up, growing apart, and finding themselves off the court. Tension between the brothers begins to brew as Filthy, the laser-focused athlete determined to be the next LeBron James, learns J.B.'s interest in basketball has started to wane and new girl Alexis comes to town. 

Of course, juggling school, friends, romance and basketball isn't easy when their mom, the academically gifted Dr. Crystal Bell (Sabrina Revelle), is the principal, and their former NBA player dad, Chuck (Luke), is the team coach. They only want what's best for the boys, and Chuck's "basketball rules for life" have guided them since they were young. But when Chuck's health starts to decline, the family's foundation starts to crumble -- forcing everyone to step up, be selfless and find faith in each other.

Deja Monique Cruz, Trevor Raine Bush, and Skyla I'Lece also star, with Phylicia Rashad guest-starring as the brothers' grandmother.

All episodes of The Crossover begin streaming on April 5 on Disney+.

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