What is Ballers about? Dwayne Johnson show explained

❘ Published: 2023-08-14T09:42:14

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in Ballers on HBO and Netflix

HBO

Ballers, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s HBO show from the mid-2010s, is coming to Netflix – so, here’s what it’s about, who’s in it, and if it’s worth watching.

He was first known to the masses as the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, but it’s hard to describe precisely why The Rock is famous now, other than him being… The Rock. Put simply, he might be the most widely recognized celebrity in the world.

His first acting gig was in 2001’s The Mummy Returns as the Scorpion King, before queuing up the likes of Walking Tall, Be Cool, Southland Tales, and The Other Guys. It all changed with Fast Five in 2011, which supercharged his career and made him a go-to muscle man, whether it was Pain & Gain, San Andreas, the Jumanji revival, or Black Adam.

However, Johnson also co-produced and starred in his own HBO drama: Ballers, and it’s about to drop on Netflix, so here’s what you need to know.

What is Ballers about?

In Ballers, Dwayne Johnson plays a retired American footballer trying to forge a successful career as a sports agent in Miami.

Check out the trailer for the first season below:

The official synopsis reads: “The sun-soaked world of a group of past and present football players in and around Miami, FL is the setting for this half-hour HBO comedy series. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson stars as a retired superstar who is trying to find a foothold as a financial manager to current players as they navigate life off the field.”

During the production of Pain & Gain, Johnson discussed his idea for Ballers with co-star Mark Wahlberg, who then came aboard as an executive producer alongside Entourage’s Stephen Levinson and Rob Weiss. “The idea was to take Entourage and set it in the sports world,” he told The Independent.

Ballers cast: Who’s in it?

The Ballers cast includes:

Dwayne Johnson as Spencer Strasmore
Rob Corddry as Joe Krutel
John David Washington as Ricky Jerret
Omar Miller as Charles Greane
Donavan W. Carter as Vernon Littlefield
Troy Garity as Jason Antolotti
London Brown as Reggie
Jazmyn Simon as Julie Greane
Arielle Kebbel as Tracy Legette
Brittany S. Hall as Amber

The show also stars Carl McDowell, Dulé Hill, Christopher McDonald, Anabelle Acosta, Richard Schiff, and Andy Garcia in other recurring roles.

Before he was a wrestler, The Rock had dreamed of playing in the NFL. His early talent saw him secure a full scholarship from the University of Miami, and he went on to play for the Calgary Stampeders. However, he was cut just two months into the team’s 1995 season after multiple shoulder injuries.

“It is such a wish fulfillment role for me, because I – literally, the life that Spencer Strasmore has is the life that I wanted. When I was 15 years old, I wanted to be a pro football player,” Johnson told ABC News.

“Therein lies that great, I think – juxtaposition, like a lot of these guys have. I was one of them, where you don’t have any money, but you look like a million dollars.”

Is Ballers worth watching?

Ballers enjoyed positive reviews throughout its five-season run, with an average Rotten Tomatoes score of 72%.

NPR wrote: “The world of blockbuster movies might write bigger paychecks, but The Rock may have missed his calling as a television star with the skill to keep a character compelling week after week.”

The Wrap also wrote: “Ballers is good bro-down TV in the same vein as Entourage. Dwayne Johnson does a solid job of leading the ensemble, and he’s totally believable as a guy who’s best buds with athletes.”

The Los Angeles Times said that “although it looks at first to be a sports-world Entourage, a horrifying thought, it proceeds to reach for something better.”

Ballers is streaming on Netflix from August 15. Check out our other hubs below: