Netflix Pulls the Plug on NBA Docuseries “Starting 5”
So, here’s the big news making the rounds: Netflix has officially canceled its original NBA docuseries “Starting 5” after just two seasons. And honestly, the move has caught a lot of people off guard—not because the show was a massive hit, but because it launched with some serious star power and still couldn’t hang on.
“Starting 5” debuted in 2024 with a strong concept. It followed five NBA stars throughout their season, giving fans that behind-the-scenes access everyone loves. The first lineup was loaded: LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and Domantas Sabonis. With names like that, it felt like a show built to succeed. But despite the hype, the viewership numbers just didn’t stack up the way Netflix expected.
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Season 1 managed 4.6 million views from July to December 2024. Then, in the first half of 2025, those numbers dropped sharply to around 1 million. For comparison, Netflix’s NFL-focused docuseries “Quarterback” pulled in 12.7 million views in its opening period, and “F1: Drive to Survive” hit 10.4 million. So even with big NBA personalities front and center, “Starting 5” couldn’t keep pace with its sports-doc rivals.
Season 2 tried to reignite the series with another high-profile group: Kevin Durant, Jaylen Brown, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, and James Harden. But even before the official numbers were released, the writing was already on the wall. Neither season cracked Netflix’s weekly Top 10, and early analytics suggested that viewership still wasn’t strong enough to justify a continuation.
Then things escalated when Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams chimed in after hearing the show had been canned. He reposted the news on Instagram and didn’t hold back, claiming, “It’s cause it sucked. They cut out all the good stuff.” That comment sparked even more buzz, especially among fans who felt the show sometimes felt too polished and held back the raw behind-the-scenes drama they were hoping for.
There are also whispers that Netflix and the NBA might’ve struggled to reach a new deal, though that theory doesn’t fully add up—Netflix has invested heavily in NBA-focused content before without any visible tension. But the simplest explanation remains the most likely: the audience numbers just weren’t there.
At the end of the day, “Starting 5” had the right idea, the right players, and the right timing. It just didn’t land the way Netflix hoped. And with competition from NFL and F1 docuseries performing at a much higher level, this one simply couldn’t survive the streaming race.
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