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via Getty

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via Getty

As per reports, NBA superstar LeBron James and rappers Drake and Future are accused in a new $10 million lawsuit of stealing the “intellectual property rights” to a documentary — “Black Ice”. Billy Hunter is a former executive director of the National Basketball Players Association. He was named the executive director of the NBPA in 1996.

Reportedly, he is seeking a share of the profits from the documentary as well as $10 million in damages. Hunter has also played professional football for the Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins as a wide receiver.

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The documentary “Black Ice” is about the segregated Canadian Hockey league for black players, which began in 1895. Hunter alleges he holds the exclusive right to produce any film about the league.

Billy Hunter’s lawsuit

The lawsuit filed by Hunter’s attorney Larry Hutcher in Manhattan State Supreme Court reads: ‘While the defendants LeBron James, Drake and Maverick Carter [LeBron’s business partner] are internationally known and renowned in their respective fields of basketball and music, it does not afford them the right to steal another’s intellectual property.’

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As per reports, the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes was formed in 1895 in Canada. It was organized to attract young black men to Sunday worship. And it promised them hockey matches with rival churches. When the interest in the sport grew, the competition grew. There were as many as 12 teams with over 400 African Canadian players in the competition.

Games were held between January and March because of the unavailability of arenas. Because of the short playing season, the championship included only 3 or 4 top regional teams. The league reached its peak between 1900 to 1905. Fans gathered in numbers as high as 1200 to watch the games.

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The fortune of LeBron James 

LeBron James recently became the first active basketball player to become a billionaire. As per reports, he has a net worth of $1.2 billion. He has been extremely successful on and off the court. James has a lifetime contract with Nike, among other major endorsement deals. He has also made some investments throughout his career that have helped him with his fortune. Also, his entertainment company plays a huge role in all this.

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The 4-time NBA champion starred in the sequel of the iconic ‘Space Jam’ movie. However, ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ also had NBA superstars Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, and Anthony Davis. Also, WNBA star Sue Bird played a part in the movie. However, the movie was not a hit.

He recently signed a 2-year contract extension worth $97.1 million with the Los Angeles Lakers. At 37, James averaged more than 30 points per game last season. However, it was not enough to seal a playoff spot for the Lakers. In 2020, he helped the Lakers win their 20th NBA championship. This has tied them for the most championship in the history of the NBA alongside arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics.

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