High Flying Bird 2019

As the sports agency teeters on the edge of financial ruin due to a crippling lockout, Ray Burke finds himself grappling with a profound existential crisis. His boss, David Starr, delivers a jarring wake-up call: the company’s credit cards are rendered useless, clients are abandoning ship, and Ray risks losing his job along with his colleagues. With Erick Scott’s future in a precarious state, Ray must devise a strategy to rescue the agency and rejuvenate his client’s prospects.

The following day, Ray visits Jamero Umber’s mother, Emera Umber, hoping to make a deal that is swiftly turned down. Unfazed, he seeks help from his former assistant, Sam, to navigate the complex world of sports agency politics. As he searches for a path forward, Ray’s ex-wife, Myra, offers a sobering perspective. She points out that the lockout necessitates a renegotiation between agents and players, but that won’t take place until the discord between team owners and television networks is resolved—a process likely to take over a month.

Amid rising tensions, Erick Scott and Jamero Umber become embroiled in a highly publicized Twitter feud. The media frenzy ignited by their quarrel only escalates the friction. Seizing a moment to mitigate the chaos, Ray attends Back Court Day, an annual community gathering featuring a youth basketball camp and appearances by star athletes.

At the event, Erick Scott is busy signing autographs and engaging with fans when Jamero arrives with his mother. The two confront each other about their social media spat, culminating in a tense standoff that leads to a one-on-one basketball showdown. The enthusiastic kids present record the drama, and the footage rapidly spreads across social media, amassing an astonishing 24 million views.

Buoyed by this viral moment, Ray hatches a plan to stream games online via platforms like Snapchat, YouTube, and Netflix, aiming to provide players like Erick an avenue to earn income during the lockout, reducing their financial burdens. While Erick initially hesitates, he ultimately recognizes the potential of Ray’s innovative strategy and agrees to get involved.

The next day, Sam meets with Ray to assess their professional trajectories. During their discussion, she confides in him that Erick might be considering letting him go in search of other opportunities within the company. However, unbeknownst to them, this rumor serves as a mere disguise for something far more intricate. In truth, Erick’s intention to dismiss Ray is part of a grander scheme designed to redirect focus from the pivotal issue—the players themselves.

Ray’s ambitious plot centers on convincing these athletes to contract with his own pay-per-view and streaming platforms. As fate would have it, Erick’s actions inadvertently support Ray’s goal, keeping the players tethered to the agency—a critical factor enabling them to resume their careers once the lockout comes to a close.

In a pivotal moment, Ray reveals his true intentions to David Starr, explaining how the entire charade was orchestrated to expedite the end of the lockout. This audacious move not only realizes its aim but also appears to secure Ray’s future at the agency, allowing him to eclipse Starr’s position.

When the smoke clears from this power struggle, Sam begins her journey into a new professional realm, taking a role with the Players’ Association. In an unexpected twist, she and Erick develop a romantic relationship amidst these transitions. Among these changes, Sam opens a mysterious book that Ray had previously entrusted to Erick—a book affectionately dubbed “The Bible.” While Erick enjoys a morning shower, Sam immerses herself in the profound words of Harry Edwards’s essential work, The Revolt of the Black Athlete.

Meanwhile, Ray stealthily enters a meeting with Edwards himself. Emerging from the shower, Erick glances at Sam, posing a question about the package. Her answer is simple yet significant: “You need to read this.”