Women’s basketball is finally getting the recognition it deserves, and Hollywood is catching up. With one series already in the works about high school players (On the Line), a second show is now on the way—this time diving into the professional ranks.
Peacock is developing The W, a WNBA comedy that follows a hotshot rookie and her inexperienced agent as they navigate the highs, lows, and absolute chaos of women’s professional basketball. The half-hour series comes from two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike and GLOW creators Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive and is loosely inspired by Ogwumike’s real-life journey with her agent and longtime business partner, Allison Galer.
For context, Ogwumike has been a game-changer both on and off the court. Drafted No. 1 in the 2014 WNBA Draft, she played for the Connecticut Sun before joining the Los Angeles Sparks and later made history as the first Black woman to host a national ESPN radio show. Now, she’s bringing her perspective to Hollywood, using The W to highlight the “glamour and grind” of women’s sports.
Mensch and Flahive, the duo behind Netflix’s wrestling comedy GLOW, will serve as showrunners and co-write the pilot alongside Tori Collins (Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!). The series is being produced by Universal Television and Condé Nast’s Glamour Studios, marking the first project under Ogwumike’s production company, Victorious.
“Our mission with Victorious is to build a future where women in sports can win big,” Ogwumike shared. “One of the most invaluable lessons I’ve learned as an athlete, broadcaster, and ambassador is that we no longer have to wait for opportunities—we can create them.”
Galer echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that The W is just the beginning. “With media coverage accelerating, superstar status shining, and investment expanding, Victorious will be the go-to vehicle for women’s sports stories to reach and captivate global audiences.”
Meanwhile last year we spoke about On the Line which is in development and is set to explore the world of high school girls’ basketball, following players as they juggle the pressures of the game and life beyond the court. Co-created by former player-turned-filmmaker Melanie Page and showrunner Kellie R. Griffin (Reed Between the Lines), the series aims to shed light on both the intense competition and emotional struggles of young female athletes.
With both The W and On the Line on the horizon, it’s clear that women’s basketball is finally getting its due—both on the court and on our screens.