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One of the original Frasier sitcom's memorable celebrity callers hopes to connect with the series again. Acclaimed actor Eric Roberts believes it would be a "brilliant" idea if he could feature in the Kelsey Grammer-led reboot.

Speaking with Brittany Frederick of Cbr about his dark comedy, Hippo, alongside his wife Eliza, Roberts was asked about the revival and whether he had any interest in appearing. Roberts expressed his intrigue about the idea, saying, "It is a brilliant idea."

Related Frasier Reboot Producers Reveal Interesting Way They Track Fan Reactions

Frasier reboot producer Joe Cristalli shares how he and co-showrunner Chris Harris track the reactions to their updated version of the hit sitcom.

Eliza further elaborated, stating Eric's call-in to Frasier Crane's Kacl talk show was one of his "favorite things" throughout his accomplished idea. "He'd be happy to do that. In fact, [Frasier star] Kelsey Grammer filmed something in our house.

NBC’s newest sitcom, St. Denis Medical, is still about a week away from its two-episode premiere, but if you’ve been watching literally any programming on the network, you’ve already been barraged with commercials that may have put you in the mood for a comedy that revolves around sick people and the professionals who look after them. While you kill time in the waiting room, here’s a selection of the best medical sitcoms you can stream instead. Doing so in a paper gown is optional.

[subtitle]1Childrens Hospital and Medical Police (Tied) [/subtitle]

Grey’s Anatomy was one of TV’s buzziest dramas when ex-Daily Show correspondent Rob Corddry created Childrens Hospital, a broad spoof of shows in which sexy young doctors work out their interpersonal issues while barely paying attention to their patients. Corddry stars as Dr. Blake Downs, who is clearly aiming for a Patch Adams-esque...

The Roku Channel, like Tubi, is a free ad-supported streaming platform that boasts thousands of movies and television programs, as well as over 400 live linear television channels and premium subscriptions. Since its inception in 2017, the streaming service has been licensing and distributing content from various media partners, expanding its vast library.

In addition to distributing content from over 250 partners, The Roku Channel also has a growing library of Originals, which have been relatively successful as a whole. The streaming service recently unveiled its fall 2024 lineup, which includes some of Hollywood's biggest productions, from WWE: Next Gen to Die Hart.

While The Roku Channel has yet to announce these release dates officially, the fall lineup is loaded with plenty of exciting movies and TV shows, including documentaries, horrors, and comedies. So, if you've been a regular user of the streaming service, you might want to check out these incredible titles that will be available shortly.

In the world of basketball, the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and former professional basketball player Michael Jordan are easily considered two of the biggest names to have ever played for the National Basketball Association.

However, Hollywood actor Will Smith seems to have a different final name on his list of Goat NBA players.

LeBron James. | Credit: Erik Drost/Wikimedia Commons.

Although he holds both James and Jordon in high regard for how tremendously these two professionals contributed and continue to contribute to the sport, Smith actually tends to differ in his respective opinion on who the Greatest Of All Time basketball player is.

And his response is one that might displease both James and Jordan’s die-hard fans.

LeBron James and Michael Jordan Aren’t the GOATs in Will Smith’s Eyes

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence recently had their latest film in the Bad Boys saga released, Bad Boys: Ride or Die.

Bill Walton, a towering figure, both on and off the basketball court, passed away on Monday at 71.

His cause of death was related to a prolonged battle with cancer, the NBA announced on behalf of his family.

Known for his nearly 7-foot frame and larger-than-life personality, Walton was a two-time NCAA champion at UCLA and a two-time NBA champion, earning a place in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Walton’s illustrious career began at UCLA, where he played under the legendary coach John Wooden.

He became a three-time national player of the year and led the Bruins to an incredible 88-game winning streak, including a memorable performance in the 1973 NCAA title game where he scored 21 of 22 shots.

“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement, according to CNN.

Tributes pour in for Bill Walton

In the NBA, Walton’s impact was immediate,...

Caitlin Clark has already broken barriers in college basketball, and now she’s broken one in pro sports, even before leaving the NCAA.

Ice Cube’s professional Big3 league has offered the Iowa Hawkeyes’ point guard $5 million to play in the 3-on-3 half-court basketball competition. She would be the first woman to compete in the league stacked with former NBA players.

After TMZ initially reported the news, Cube confirmed it on Twitter, writing, “BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3.”

The deal would reportedly allow Clark to still play in the WNBA after the 10-week Big3 season is over.

In January 2017, Ice Cube, along with entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, announced the launch of the Big3, promising that it would feature some of the best players to ever play the game. Cube and...

Denzel Washington, a prolific actor with a long list of iconic characters, revealed that his most treasured role is not from any action-packed blockbuster or historical epic. Instead, it comes from a film in which he played a civil rights lawyer who is autistic.

Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)

The movie is Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017), which resonated deeply with the 69-year-old star. Though the movie received mixed reviews and grossed only $13 million worldwide (via The Numbers), Washington himself found great personal satisfaction in playing the character.

SUGGESTEDBoth Brad Pitt and Will Smith Got Two of the Biggest Hits of Their Acting Careers Because of Denzel Washington

He even ranks this role above all others he’s done. But fans might not know that this role was solely written for him by the director, who did not even get paid for the script.

Dan Gilroy Wrote a Script for Denzel Washington...

Do you have plans for June? Cancel them. There’s simply too much to watch — at home and at the movies — for any other activities.

Returning television shows alone could keep you busy. Among favorites coming back for new seasons you’ll find The Eric Andre Show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Human Resources, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Outlander, And Just Like That, The Bear, The Witcher, Jack Ryan, and The Righteous Gemstones.

But there’s plenty of new stuff, too, to say nothing of the many movies arriving...

Exclusive: Ice Cube is teaming with Jesse Collins Entertainment on a sports docuseries revolving around his successful Big3 sports league. Ice Cube will star in and produce via his Cube Vision with Jesse Collins Entertainment.

The as-yet untitled series will take an unprecedented look at the making of one of the fastest growing new leagues in the United States, the Big3, as Ice Cube defies the NBA on its quest to become one of the biggest sports leagues in the world.

Described as Welcome to Wrexham and Cheer meets basketball, the series will be dual-narrative following Cube and the challenges of building a new basketball league from the ground up, as well as the journey of one of the Big3 teams, as they navigate the ups and downs of a grueling season in pursuit of a national championship. Big3’s widely covered $1.2 billion lawsuit against Qatari investors will also be covered in the series.

“Reggie” just began streaming on Prime Video. The documentary follows one of sport’s first and most influential megastars, beloved baseball icon and 5-time World Series champion Reggie Jackson as he contemplates his legacy as a trailblazing Black athlete fighting for dignity, respect, and a seat at the table in this intimate and revealing new film exploring his life and barrier-busting career. Jackson appears on screen as do several of his family members and fellow sports legends including Hank Aaron, Derek Jeter, Bill Russell and Julius Erving.

The movie from Amazon Studios was directed by Alex Stapleton and currently holds a perfect 100% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe says, “It’s an engrossing watch, even if you hate those Damn Yankees.” Read our full review round-up below.

See ‘Bill Russell: Legend’ spotlights NBA player’s achievements on and off the court: ‘Even for Lakers fans,...

"I wasn't liked because I'm the truth - and the truth is painful." Amazon has revealed an official trailer for a sports documentary titled Reggie, a profile of the iconic baseball superstar Reggie Jackson. This will be streaming on Prime Video at the end of March to watch. It follows the story of baseball megastar Reggie as he contemplates his legacy as one of the first iconic black athletes, a pioneer in the fight for dignity, respect, and a seat at the table. From director Alex Stapleton, Reggie is an intimate and revealing documentary that examines the career and legacy of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and activist Reggie Jackson. Reggie is the definitive, firsthand account of five-time World Series Champion, beloved New York icon, and one of baseball's most influential superstars. Featuring footage with Derek Jeter, Bill Russell, Julius Erving, Hank Aaron, Pete Rose, and many more. I...

Netflix’s latest sports docuseries, “Bill Russell: Legend,” is sandwiched between its 10-part tennis series, “Break Point,” and its eight-part golf series, “Full Swing,” in a string of non-fiction programming demonstrating the streamer’s commitment to chronicling athletic excellence. Although there have been other docs made about Russell, a Boston Celtics legend who won 11 championships during his career, Netflix is calling this latest nonfiction film about the 6-foot-10-inch center the “definitive documentary.”

In the series, Oscar-nominated documentarian Sam Pollard, who recently spotlighted tennis great Arthur Ashe in “Citizen Ashe,” traces Russell’s groundbreaking career on the court as well as his role as a civil rights pioneer and activist. The doc features interviews with Russell before his death in 2022, personal archival footage and interviews with players including Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Variety spoke with Pollard about making another doc about Russell,...

Exclusive: The story of the American Basketball Association (Aba), which was responsible for stars such as Julius Erving, is to be told in a new docuseries for Amazon.

Prime Video has ordered a multi-part docuseries, currently untitled, about the the rise and fall of the league, which defined one of America’s most turbulent eras and shaped the NBA as we know it today.

The series comes from Prime Video Sports, George Karl’s Truth+ Media, Todd Lieberman’s Hidden Pictures, and Kenan Kamwana Holley’s Holley Films. It comes after former Mandeville Films and Television co-chief Lieberman recently launched his own film and TV company Hidden Pictures.

The Aba, which was in existence between 1967 and 1976, was responsible for the addition of teams including the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs to the NBA as well as the introduction of the three-point shot. It ceased...

A version of this story about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Barack Obama first appeared in the Down to the Wire: Drama issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar knows all about tough competition, but the basketball legend may be facing a fiercer foe than even Wilt Chamberlain or Julius Erving in this year’s Emmy race. And for that, he can thank the Outstanding Narrator category, which in its nine-year history has found an array of formidable voices going head-to-head: Sterling K. Brown over Anthony Hopkins, Meryl Streep over Laurence Fishburne and Ewan McGregor, Jeremy Irons over Daniel Craig and Whoopi Goldberg, David Attenborough over Chiwetel Ejiofor one year and over Morgan Freeman and Carl Reiner the next …

This year, Abdul-Jabbar is nominated for the second time for the History series “Black Patriots,” the first coming two years ago when he lost to Attenborough. His nomination this year comes during...

Exclusive: James Lesure has been tapped as a series regular on ABC’s new hourlong series The Rookie: Feds, headlined by Niecy Nash-Betts.

Co-created by Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter, The Rookie: Feds stars Nash-Betts as Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy. The spinoff was introduced in a two-episode arc on Season 4 of The Rookie, where Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the L.A. division of the FBI enlist Clark’s help when one of her former students is a suspect in a terror attack.

James Lesure joins Nash-Betts, Frankie Faison and Felix Solis, who guest starred in the Rookie backdoor pilot episodes as Christopher “Cutty” Clark and Special Agent Matthew Garza, respectively, as well as Britt Robertson and Kevin Zegers, who recently joined The Rookie: Feds as a new series regulars playing Laura Stensen and Brendon Acres, respectively.

Lesure will play Carter Hope. Conservative and a by-the-book traditionalist,...

Tonight’s tenth and final episode of HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty begins with the kind of adversity the team and owner Jerry Buss have overcome all through this charmed ’79-’80 NBA season. In the final moments of Game 5 of the finals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar launches his patented sky hook, only to land wrong and severely sprain his ankle. The Hof center, dominant to this point, shrugs off the pain and wills the Lakers to being a win away from the NBA title. Magic Johnson, meanwhile, learns he has lost Rookie of the Year to his rival Larry Bird, who materializes in Magic’s apartment in a vision, meant to tear away at the Laker star’s confidence.

And Jerry Buss, fresh from burying his mother, tells long suffering daughter Jeanie that he needs a favor from her in working up a succession plan. He wants...

Exclusive: Alumni Pros Global Sports (Apgs) has set an exclusive partnership with David Steward II’s Lion Forge Animation studio (Hair Love), making Lion Forge Animation the official partner and producer of all animated content conceived by the hundreds of professional athletes within the Apgs network.

Apgs advisors and investors include NBA Hall of Famers Julius “Dr. J” Erving, George Gervin, Spencer Haywood, Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo, and Mitch Richmond, NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, and current NFL players Brandon Copeland and Tahir Whitehead.

The pact, constructed by Apgs co-founder Robert Smith and Lfa’s Head of Business Development Jimmy Thomas, will span long and short form episodic series as well as features, shorts, and hybrid content.

The partnership will look to capitalise on content produced, written and distributed by current and retired professional athletes and give pro athletes the opportunity to pool their resources to finance, produce, distribute,...

Screen Media announced today the acquisition of all rights to the documentary film Vince Carter: Legacy, which will premiere on the Crackle Plus Networks as an original title in October.

“Air Canada,” “Flying Man” and “Half-Man/Half-Amazing” were just a few nicknames attached to NBA star Vince Carter in his time with the Toronto Raptors, where he won Rookie of the Year honors with his high-flying game. Carter went on to become a Slam-Dunk Contest champion, an eight-time All Star, an Olympic gold medalist and one of the handful of players to score 51 points in a single game. He also may be the only player to ever to dunk on a 7’2″ defender by literally jumping over him.

What might be even more impressive, however, is Carter’s durability. High fly acts generally burn fast and bright, but Carter managed to play an NBA-record 22 seasons and, as his career wound down,...

Fox News Channel will try its hand at sports this weekend when it presents a one-hour special led by veteran sportscaster Jim Gray.

During the program, “Talking to GOATs with Jim Gray,” the sports journalist and “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade will talk about Gray’s more than 40 years in sports and present some of his interviews with sports giants like Tom Brady, Mike Tyson and Julius Erving. Gray is a Fox News Channel contributor.

Fox News has in recent months placed some emphasis on developing programs not necessarily tied to the politics and hard news that fuel so much of its regular schedule. The Fox Corporation-owned network has presented a series of specials under the rubric “America Together,” and Jeff Collins, executive vice president of ad sales for Fox News Media, has articulated a strategy of broadening out programming to include lifestyle topics ranging from sports to health and wellness.

Exclusive: The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police galvanized the Black Lives Matter movement, but it was the subsequent viral footage of Jacob Blake shot in the back seven times by a police officer with his children in the back seat in Kenosha, Wisconsin that was the pivot point for the National Basketball Association and its players as they embraced a growing political role that will be felt when record numbers of Black voters show up at polling places tomorrow.

That is the premise of …Like You Never Voted Before, a documentary being shot right now by a group of hoops-connected filmmakers who are following players and team executive and employees going into tomorrow’s Presidential Elections. The NBA is cooperating and numerous of its players are taking part.

The film is produced by Mandalay Sports Media in association with Endgame Entertainment, Wavelength Productions, and Park Pictures. Mike Tollin...

Exclusive: HBO is furthering their diversity and inclusion initiatives with a new immersive pop-up experience to support their new “Our Stories To Tell” campaign. The weekend event will kick off November 15 and continue through November 17 at Casita Hollywood in Los Angeles. The experiential event will bring together creatives, creators and Angelenos to celebrate the talent in the city as well as unite creativity, collaboration and culture.

HBO’s “Our Stories To Tell” is part of a bigger picture that engages diverse and multicultural audiences through cultural programming and — as the campaign suggests — relatable storytelling. The event will include panel conversations, special events, live musical performances and more diverse programming. The event will also include a marketplace, co-working space and an opportunity to give back to the community.

“In launching ‘Our Stories To Tell’, we are excited to create yet another platform where our multicultural audiences can come together to have candid...

Exclusive: In an art-imitates-life casting, DeVaughn Nixon has been tapped to play his dad, Norm Nixon, in HBO’s pilot about the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.

Written by Max Borenstein (Godzilla), the Untitled Showtime Lakers Project is based on Jeff Pearlman’s nonfiction book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s.

Executive producer Adam McKay is directing the pilot, which chronicles the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined its era, both on and off the court.

DeVaughn Nixon’s Norm Nixon is a debonair playboy who overcomes insurmountable odds to become the All-Star point guard of the Lakers. He expertly maneuvers the complexities of NBA stardom, until talented young rookie Magic Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) arrives in L.A.

Norm Nixon spent 12 seasons with the Los Angeles...

Former wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista and comedian Kumail Nanjiani make for an unlikely pair in the new Uber-themed action movie, Stuber. In the latest episode of Rolling Stone‘s the first time, the co-stars say they met for the first time at a chemistry test for the film, but quickly hit it off and by the end of shooting they were the undisputed Stuber ping-pong champions. Bautista also jokes, “Now we finish each other’s…” prompting Nanjiani to deadpan, “Sandwiches.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Bautista talks about competing in dance...

CBS Sports and Big3, the professional 3-on-3 basketball league founded by Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz, have agreed to an exclusive deal for live broadcasts of Big3’s 2019 season.

Games will be shown on CBS and CBS Sports Network, with more than 20 hours throughout the season on the former and more than 25 hours on the latter.

The 2019 season, the league’s third, is set to open on CBS in primetime on Saturday, June 22. During the 11-week season, games will air live on CBS Television Network and CBS Sports Network on both Saturday and Sunday, with the championship game on September 1.

CBS Sports Network will also air the Big3 Draft live on May 1, when 120 professional players will vie for only 31 open roster spots on 12 teams, expanded from eight the first two seasons.

In 2018, according to today’s announcement, average arena attendance for the emerging league exceeded 14,000, up from 11,000 in its debut year.

Atlanta has been in full Super Bowl mode all week, and not surprisingly, the dozens of events taking place in town in advance of the big game reached a peak on Saturday. Along with concerts by Bruno Mars and Cardi B (more on that in a minute), there was the Maxim party with Future, Diplo and Jamie Foxx; the Foo Fighters DirecTV concert; the Sports Illustrated party with Lil Wayne; and the Rolling Stone fete with Young Thug and Ludacris.

The day started off with the Fanatics party held at the College Hall of Fame and hosted by Philadelphia 76ers co-owner and Fanatics executive chairman Michael Rubin. Celebrities including Kevin Hart, Yo Gotti, Emily Ratajkowski, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Dr. Oz were treated to a feast of fresh served sushi and sashimi, shrimp and grits and mac and cheese while mingling with past and present athletic greats like Julius Erving, Dez Bryant,...

Julius Erving says he's not hurt by Kanye West's comments about slavery being a choice -- he's more hurt by comments that have come out of Donald Trump's White House.  We spotted the NBA Hall of Famer at Ronald Reagan airport in Virginia on Wednesday -- and with such an extensive background in civil rights activism, we had to ask about the Kanye West interview on "TMZ Live." "He's entitled to his opinion," Erving said.

In a super-fight between the Rocky Balboa and Dr. J statues in Philly, it's a Knockout win for the doc -- so says Julius Erving himself.  You might've heard ... Erving just got a 2nd statue in The City of Brotherly Love decades after his 1st one was unveiled -- a slam-dunkin' sculpture on the 76ers' Legends Walk. So when we saw doc at Lax, we had to ask who's effigy gets more love -- his,...

The NBA All-Star Game is upon us once again, which means it’s time to get excited… for the dunk contest! The showcase has delivered career highlights from the likes of Julius Erving, Vince Carter, Dwight Howard, and Michael Jordan. The Wrap looks back at the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest to determine the best moments in its history. Julius Erving (1976) — Dr. J arguably did more to popularize the slam dunk than any other basketball player not named Michael Jordan, and it all started with the move that won the 1976 dunk contest for the Aba. Though free-throw line dunks...

Meek Mill is getting some high-powered support -- Rick Ross and NBA legend Dr. J will lead a rally Monday afternoon in Philadelphia ... TMZ has learned. Sources connected to the rap honcho tell us Rick and Julius Erving are on a private jet right now heading to Philly. Several Philadelphia Eagles and other local entertainers are scheduled to show up at the event ... which has also been promoted by Kevin Hart and Diddy. The rally...

[[tmz:video id="0_valayfbp"]] NBA legend Julius Erving says he's Proud of Floyd Mayweather's youth football team -- comprised of 6 year olds -- for protesting the National Anthem ... saying it's healthy for kids to "speak their minds." As we previously reported, the Las Vegas Red Lions -- sponsored by Mayweather's Tmt brand -- followed Colin Kaepernick's lead this weekend and took a knee during the "Star-Spangled Banner." Dr. J says he loved seeing the protest --...

[[tmz:video id="0_e6bz9x53"]] Julius Erving's fro is widely regarded as one of the greatest hairdos of all time ... so when we got him out at Lax Thursday, we had to ask who's on the Other side of the hair spectrum in the NBA.  The doctor definitely named names -- calling out one of the Houston Rockets.  But there's more ... we also asked who would win if Villanova played the 76ers in a battle of Philly hoops teams...

For those of us who grew up in the ’80s, there was a new childhood pastime that was also a harbinger of our future lives as adults: computer games. Leave aside Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and whatever you might find at an arcade. All those hours spent at the keyboard of a Commodore 64 or an Apple IIe, obliterating asteroids, killing pixelated Nazis, hunting for food on the Oregon Trail, or traveling the world in search of Carmen Sandiego: Were they the world’s way of training us to spend our days staring at computer screens? Was any of it really fun?I was allowed a few floppy disks of this sort in the late 1980s on the family Apple, and staged my share of simulated one-on-one matches between Julius Erving and Larry Bird, as well as statistically determined ahistorical reenactments of baseball games between the 1927 Yankees and 1975 Red Sox, a...

David Ortiz just proved he's not just Big Papi -- he's Big Baller! Ordinary teams celebrate under with champagne, but Papi did it with a bottle that cost more than $100,000!!! Deserved or disgusting excess?? Plus, we know Ronda Rousey is a certified badass in the Octagon, but we found out the Ufc superstar really got jacked up on the set of a movie. How in the world is Hollywood tougher than Mma fighting? We'll explain.

It’s nothing personal against Codemasters, but I never really expected to get a whole lot out of a game like F1 2013. Clearly for a niche audience, I imagined the yearly videogame counterpart to Formula One racing would deliver an authentic, certified geek-out for diehards of the sport, and at best a fun diversion for everyone else. Though I wouldn’t go so far as to say “boy, was I wrong!” while flashing a cheesy smile and swinging my fist, F1 2013 definitely grabbed me more firmly than I thought it would, and once adjusted I found no reason to resist.

Though far from a flight simulator for Formula One (which is what I was at least somewhat subconsciously expecting), F1 2013 is definitely more sim than arcade racer, and it’s apparent within the first few minutes of playing. The first thing you’ll tackle in the game is known as the Young Driver’s Test,...

The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby won't last much longer than two minutes, but the party at Churchill Downs is an all-day affair.

Fans lined up early on Saturday morning outside the famed track in Louisville, braving the rain and enduring the security lines. Whether heading to Millionaires Row or to the raucous party in the infield, the scene at the Kentucky Derby has something for everyone, provided you like mint juleps.

As usual, the Kentucky Derby has brought out big names and even bigger hats. Aside from Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino, who is a partial owner of one of the horses in the field, the world of sports was well represented. Julius Erving, Ken Griffey Jr. and Warren Moon were among some of the high-profile athletes photographed arriving. They were joined by Hollywood celebs, musicians, models and Miss American 2013 Mallory Hagan.

The reaction to the rain among...

Acting and basketball don't immediately seem to have much in common — one involves running, jumping, passing, dribbling and heaving a big orange ball through a ten-foot-high net; the other involves standing in front of a camera. So it's safe to say that being good at one does not make you good at the other.

That hasn't stopped plenty of basketball players from making the leap to feature films, though. So with March Madness upon us, we thought we'd take a look at basketball stars whose acting turns were either slam dunks — or flagrant fouls.

We've ranked the players from worst to best in terms of their acting, but ranking them in terms of their basketball skills would be much tougher: Every one of the eight players on our list won at least one NBA championship. But do any of them have a chance at an Oscar? Check it out and let the Madness begin.

On TV this Thursday: NBC’s 1600 Penn officially takes office, The Big Bang boys get comic-con’d, Kathy is back to yak and a Grey’s Anatomy couple has to fish or cut bait. As a supplement to TVLine’s original features (always linked within), here are 10 programs to keep on your radar.

Preview | 30 Rock: Will Arnett and Steve Buscemi Return! Plus, Megan Mulally, Octavia Spencer Drop By

More from TVLineDead Boy Detectives Showrunners Talk Potential Sandman Crossovers and Supernatural Easter EggsParish Sneak Peek: A Menacing Bradley Whitford Gives Gray a Life-or-Death Ultimatum (Exclusive)The Challenge: All Stars:...

It's a Chrismukkah miracle! Adam Brody, best known (and still beloved) for his role as Seth Cohen on "The O.C.," will guest star in two episodes of "House of Lies" Season 2, Showtime announced Thursday.

Brody will play the owner of an adult toy company who forms a relationship with Kristen Bell's character, Jeannie. He joins previously announced guest stars Larenz Tate, Nia Long and Lisa Edelstein.

The Showtime comedy returns Sun., Jan. 13 at 10 p.m. Est.

In other TV news ...

Basketball Hall of Famer to guest-star on "The Office." Julius Erving (a.k.a. Dr. J) will appear as himself, investing in Jim's sports marketing business in Philadelphia. His episode will air Jan. 17. [EW]

Own orders two shows from Tyler Perry. The multi-hyphenate mogul will produce, write and direct two series for Oprah's network: Drama "The Haves And The Have Nots" and comedy "Love Thy Neighbor." [Deadline]

Sutton Foster's brother joins "Bunheads.

Julius Erving, a.k.a. Dr. J, has a new teammate, and his name is… Jim Halpert? The basketball Hall of Famer will guest-star as himself on The Office, EW has learned. In the episode, Dr. J becomes an investor in the sports marketing business that Jim (John Krasinski) is trying to launch in Philadelphia, where Erving scored more than a few baskets as a 76er. And as you can see in the photo below, the 62-year-old legend winds up showing Jim a thing or two on the court.

The episode featuring Dr. J — who played a minister in Lifetime...

A week ago, this question would have been much easier to answer. Without a championship ring under his belt, LeBron James is merely an explosive all-round forward, a physical specimen and a great player. That is not to say that such a description isn’t impressive, but in the history of NBA many have been considered “great.”

With a ring under his belt however, LeBron James has vaulted himself onto a list of some of the greatest NBA players of all time. Many will argue that he isn’t quite there yet, and that is debatable, but no one can argue that his dominating performances throughout the 2011-2012 playoffs didn’t give him an extraordinary boox.

To begin, it would be advantageous to list players that are definitely above LeBron James. Also, I apologize in advance if certain legends are omitted, but due to the sheer number of greats, it...

Julius Erving -- known the world over as Dr. J -- didn't bother to respond to a lawsuit claiming he defaulted on a Giant loan ... so now he's lost the case and has been ordered to pay up ... TMZ has learned. According to documents filed in Georgia, the NBA legend took out a loan in 2009 from Georgia Primary Bank. The original loan was for $1,000,000 and Erving had an outstanding balance of $210,705.71 ... which was never paid.

On May 14, 2012, multi-faceted entertainer Steve Harvey and co-host Soledad O’Brien of CNN will host The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation Gala presented by Screen Gems in New York, honoring Bet Networks’ Chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee, director/producer Spike Lee and best-selling author/activist Tonya Lee, Capital Preparatory Magnet School founder and CNN contributor Dr. Steve Perry, and Victory Junction Gang founders/Nascar icons Richard and Kyle Petty, with The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation’s Helping Hand Award.

Marking the gala’s third year, The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation Gala (formerly The Steve Harvey Foundation Gala) will converge at Cipriani Wall Street for an unforgettable evening with Title Sponsor Screen Gems, Print Sponsor Essence and sponsor Coca-Cola, and feature the dynamic vocal talents of Rachelle Ferrell, with special guest Bill Cosby and event chairs Madeline Nelson, Julius Erving III, and more showing support.

Honoring Debra Lee,...

Check out this new action trailer from 2K Sports upcoming Fall Basketball game NBA 2K12. After 2K11 took video game bball to an untouchable level, gamers will definitely want to check out this latest follow-up. Although it probably won’t take the genre forward as much as 2K11, it will definitely have some core improvements. This new trailer features icons like Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Hakeem Olajuwon as well as current NBA stars Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Blake Griffin, and Carmelo Anthony. NBA 2K12 hits the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 , Wii and PSP on October 4, 2011.

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Dawn Furdigs and Julius Erving attend Dr. Jay's NBA legends all-star weekend party hosted by Big Daddy Production at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.Photo copyright Winston Burris / PR Photos Norm Nixon and Christopher Abrahms attend Dr. Jay's NBA legends all-star weekend party hosted by Big Daddy Production at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.Photo copyright Winston Burris / PR Photos Christopher Abrahms attends Dr. Jay's NBA legends all-star weekend party hosted by Big Daddy Production at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.Photo copyright Winston Burris / PR Photos Julius Erving attends Dr. Jay's NBA legends all-star weekend party hosted by Big Daddy Production at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.Photo copyright...

NBA legend Julius Erving is about to lose his 6,700 sq. ft. house in Utah ... because it's about to go into foreclosure. The house -- which the former basketball star has been trying to sell for over a year -- went into pre-foreclosure last month ... after Dr. J defaulted on his loan. Erving tells TMZ, the house is "substantially underwater" -- meaning he owes more than it's worth. The house -- located in St. George, Utah -- is worth $2.23 million,...

His ‘Air-ness’ is taking a great deal of heat these days over his induction speech during the Basketball Hall of Fame ceremonies. I’ve heard and read very few positive comments about his 23 minutes of reflection. I’ll preface my comments by saying that I like many others enjoyed Michael Jordan’s athletic prowess but my favorite player is Julius Erving. I am not a devoted Jordan fan and have never purchased a pair of his sneakers. They cost too much and in all honesty I never had that much game…though I was no punk either. With that said here we go. I apparently stand alone in my appreciation for the first real glimpse into the man Michael Jordan, sans the marketing façade. Until now, I think that the world has seen mostly only what Madison Avenue and Brand Jordan carefully scripted and manufactured...