Driven by the popularity of the New York Times bestselling book Blood in the Garden, Knicks superfan and Academy Award filmmaker Spike Lee is working on its screen adaptation.
Lee confirmed the news to Stefan Bondy of the Daily News during Tuesday’s grand opening of the Jackie Robinson Museum in downtown New York.
And for Knicks fans:
Spike Lee confirmed to me he’s working on a film series based on “Blood in the Garden,” a book about the 90s Knicks.
“It’s not a rumor.” https://t.co/dxWkAEhZgC
— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) July 26, 2022
Over the weekend, Blood in the Garden author and former Knicks beat reporter Chris Herring teased about a docuseries on the scale of The Last Dance, which chronicled the Chicago Bulls’ 1990s dynasty, and a scripted TV show similar to HBO’s Winning Time based on Jeff Pearlman’s book about the Los Angeles Lakers Showtime era in the 1980s.
“I do think we’re going to see something on the scale of ‘The Last Dance’”
—Chris Herring to Spence Checketts on possible series of his bestseller “Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s NY Knicks” ? ??@Herring_NBA @spencechecketts https://t.co/KutCHl0HHa pic.twitter.com/AhVAfaKdfY
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) July 23, 2022
It’s finally happening.
Herring’s book gives an insider view and never before shared details that transpired during a tumultuous era in the history of the iconic franchise that gripped the NBA with their grit and physicality on the court. The 90s Knicks team never won a title, but their drama-filled journey anchored by franchise icon Patrick Ewing and under Pat Riley, who won four titles with the Lakers during the Showtime era before coming to New York, represented their last glorious stretch over the last four decades.
On the same day Lee confirmed the news about its upcoming screen adaptation, former US President Barack Obama endorsed Herring’s book.
I’ve read a couple of great books this year and wanted to share some of my favorites so far. What have you been reading this summer? pic.twitter.com/K8bnTnmNaG
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 26, 2022
Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks is available on Amazon and in bookstores.
Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo