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The streaming service Peacock, owned by NBC Universal, who will begin broadcasting NBA games next season, is developing a scripted comedy about the WNBA titled The W. The series is being developed by former WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike, who is currently best known for being an analyst at ESPN.
The announcement of the WNBA series at Peacock comes on the heels of the success of the Netflix series Running Point, which features Kate Hudson as a loose version of Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.
Instead of focusing on the front office or a coach — like in Running Point or Ted Lasso — Peacock’s WNBA series The W will follow a rookie in the WNBA and will explore the ‘glamour and grind’ of women’s sports.
In addition to Ogwumike, the series is being developed by Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive, who created the Netflix comedy series GLOW, which was about women’s wrestling in the 1980s.
“The half-hour project follows a hot-shot rookie WNBA player and her inexperienced agent navigating the wild ups and downs of the world of women’s professional basketball. It is loosely inspired by Ogwumike and her longtime business partner and agent, Allison Galer, who chose an unconventional path after Ogwumike, who was the first pick in the 2014, chose the 24-year-old as her rep. It will look at the ‘glamour and grind’ of women’s sports.” [via Deadline]
Ogwumike, who played her college basketball at Stanford University, was taken with the 1st overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. She spent 2014 through 2018 with the Sun, before closing out her career with the Los Angeles Sparks from 2019 to 2023. Ogwumike was named Rookie of the year in 2014 and was an All-Star in both 2014 and 2018. As for her broadcasting career, Ogwumike is the first Black woman and the first WNBA player to host a national radio show for ESPN.
The WNBA is currently in the midst of an all-time high in popularity, as it set tons of viewership and attendance records during the 2024 season, largely due to rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, who looks like she’s added some muscle ahead of her second year. The 2025 WNBA season will tip off on Friday, May 16.