On November 14, 2024, Montana filmmaker, Rob Grabow, and his production company, Paradise Valley Pictures LLC, filed a lawsuit against Netflix, NBA star LeBron James, and others, claiming they copied his script in Netflix’s film, Rez Ball. Grabow alleges that Rez Ball is strikingly similar to his original basketball-based screenplay, titled The Gift of the Game, which was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office on January 25, 2024. Grabow’s script centers around a Native American high school basketball team striving to win a state championship and explores themes of community, race relations, and poverty, inspired by Grabow’s experiences growing up.
According to Grabow, he shared his script with cinematographer Brit Hensel and filmmaker Andrew Maclean, both who are in the “personal and professional circles” of directors Sterlin Harjo and Sydney Freeland (co-creators of Rez Ball). These individuals signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and initially expressed interest, but ultimately decided not to work on Grabow’s project.
Grabow claims Rez Ball, which premiered on Netflix in September 2024, mirrors his script more closely than the nonfiction book, Canyon Dreams: A Basketball Season on the Navajo Nation – the source material that Netflix claims the film was based upon. He points out similarities in storylines, character interactions, and specific scenes, including the opening with a voiceover about the Native American community with children playing basketball. He also alleges that a key storyline about a mother’s fear of attending her son’s games was directly lifted from his work after he had discussed his work extensively with Hensel.
Grabow is suing for copyright infringement, breach of implied contract, and intentional interference with contractual relations. He claims Hensel violated her NDA by sharing details of his script with others, including Harjo. In a motion for early summary judgment, Netflix and the other defendants contend that there is “unassailable proof” that Rez Ball was independently created, as its script allegedly predates Grabow’s script for The Gift of the Game by nearly a year. Netflix also requests that initial discovery be limited to evidence related to prior independent creation. In response, Grabow and Paradise Valley Pictures LLC urge the court to deny the motion for early summary judgment, arguing it is merely an attempt by the defendants to sidestep full discovery and avoid their obligation to produce all relevant evidence. That motion, originally scheduled for hearing on April 4, 2025, has been taken under submission by Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha. The court has vacated the hearing and will issue a ruling without oral argument.
Grabow and Paradise Valley are represented by Devin A. McRae and Rebecca L. Claudat of Early Sullivan Write Gizer & McRae LLP.
The defendants are represented by Molly Manning Lens, Cassandra L. Seto and Nicole Billington of O’Melveny & Myers LLP.
The case name is Rob Grabow et al. v. Netflix, Inc. et al., case number 2:24-cv-09822, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
* Lowe & Associates (“The Firm”) is a boutique entertainment and business law firm located in Beverly Hills, California. The firm has extensive experience handling cases involving copyright law, having provided top-quality legal services to its clients since 1991. The Firm is recognized for its many achievements, including successfully litigating many high-profile cases.
