Throughout most of television history, it has been relatively easy for observers to predict which shows would be canceled by the networks. Since streaming services became a major force in the entertainment industry, that has changed, as many series that initially appeared to be hits have been prematurely ended.
According to a new report, it seems like there is another example of a show that is surprisingly coming to a sudden end. Even though a show has a long list of huge stars involved, Netflix has reportedly canceled a once much-touted series.
Netflix Reportedly Cancels Starting 5
On December 1, 2025, Sports Business Journal published an article stating that Netflix has canceled its docuseries Starting 5. It is important to note that Netflix hasn’t confirmed the report about the show’s cancellation. Men’s Journal has reached out to Netflix for official comment.
Two seasons of the docuseries were produced for Netflix before it was reported that it has come to an end. The first season of Starting 5 premiered in October 2024, and it returned for a second chapter a year later. Starting 5 is a sports docuseries that provided an inside view of an NBA season. Each season of the show tracked five superstar athletes and sought to capture their personal lives and career achievements throughout a season of their careers.
Starting 5 followed in the footsteps of several Netflix sports docuseries and documentaries that connected with the streaming service’s users. The most obvious examples of Netflix’s biggest sports docuseries and documentaries include The Last Dance, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Beckham, Athlete A, Icarus, and Full Swing, among others.
Starting 5 Stars and Is Produced by Huge Celebrities
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Considering how successful sports documentaries and docuseries have been on Netflix in the past, that alone is enough reason to be surprised that Starting 5 has reportedly been canceled. However, the report claiming that the docuseries has come to an end is also shocking because of the star power of the people involved in it, both onscreen and behind the scenes.
Behind the scenes, Starting 5 is produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground. On top of having the Former President and First Lady involved, Starting 5 was also produced by Uninterrupted, a production company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter.
More importantly than having major names involved in Starting 5’s production, the show’s concept also led to it featuring huge sports stars onscreen. During the docuseries’ first season, it spotlighted the NBA stars LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and Domantas Sabonis. The show’s second season focused on another five celebrity athletes. That season featured Tyrese Haliburton, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Jaylen Brown.
