It’s never just about football. Airing on The CW, new drama All American follows the challenges of Spencer James (Daniel Ezra)—a talented, black high school wide receiver—after he escapes the streets of South Los Angeles and finds himself a posh high school in Beverly Hills. Inspired by the early life of former New York Giants player (and Super Bowl champ) Spencer Paysinger, the series revolves, in large part, around the relationship between Spencer and Billy Baker (Taye Diggs), coach of the Beverly High football team.
It’s Coach Baker who initially recruits Spencer and, impressed by his play, offers him the opportunity to take his talents to the other side of L.A., where it’s safer and the education available is better. Why the interest in Spencer? Well, beyond football, Coach Baker sees a younger version of himself in the burgeoning star, as he too was forced to find a way out of the same underserved and underprivileged neighborhood, teeming with drive-bys and drug deals.
Check out the teaser above and watch as Spencer attempts to sooth the growing pains that come with his new environment, and heal the traumas inflicted by his previous one when All American premieres on The CW October 10 at 9/8c.
