Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., has joined the cast of the upcoming Apple TV basketball series, Swagger. The 28-year-old actor took over the role after Winston Duke pulled out following an on-set injury, Variety reports.
“I’m thrilled to be involved with such a profound and impactful project that stands for family, explores the development and growth of today’s youth, involves the game of basketball, and most importantly addresses such key social issues which are tackled throughout the series,” Jackson said in a statement to the outlet. “‘Swagger’ is an opportunity to explore a fresh, multi-dimensional character under the guidance of an amazing director like Reggie Rock and his team on a daily basis.”
Swagger is executive produced by Kevin Durant, and inspired by the NBA star’s experience as an AAU youth basketball player in his hometown of Washington D.C. The drama explores the lives of the players, families and coaches involved in the AAU in D.C.
The series is a collaboration between Durant’s Thirty Five Ventures, Imagine Television, and CBS Studios.
Duke thanked CBS and Apple TV for the “opportunity” to collaborate on the project. “As I work toward a full recovery in the coming months, I look forward to joining everyone on future endeavors,” he added. “Congratulations to O’Shea — I have no doubt that he’ll shine in the role.”