NBA Entertainment is launching an original series, Pass the Rock, that will appear exclusively on the NBA App starting Thursday.

The series is executive produced by rapper Jack Harlow and features some of the NBA’s young stars, starting with Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.

The series takes a behind the look at the league’s new generation of players as they prepare to compete with more established stars and take time off with friends and family.

“We’re simply the next wave of players.  Each generation has them.  We give our respect to the previous players because they set the groundwork for us to even be in this position,” Williamson says on the show.

After Williamson, episode two of the series revolves around the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and premieres Dec. 23. 

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić and Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes are among the players featured in upcoming episodes.

The NBA App is a product of NBA Digital, the league’s joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports. ■

The NBA and Turner Sports have added a new virtual reality subscription package to its NBA League Pass live game out-of-market service, which tips off Tuesday (Oct. 17), the company announced Monday.

The new, season-long virtual reality subscription package – developed by NBA Digital and NextVR -- will be available across the Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream and Windows Mixed Reality platforms. In all, the $49.99 VR service can be accessed across 19 platforms including television, broadband, tablets and mobile phones and connected devices.

Related: NBA Digital, NextVR Strike Multiyear Partnership

In addition to the $199.99 price tag for the traditional NBA League Pass package, NBA Digital will offer a $249.99 premium package that features continuous in-arena coverage during live game breaks.

The new packages will join other NBA League Pass premium packages including NBA Team Pass ($119.99) and single game ($6.99). NBA Digital will also bring back NBA Mobile View, which offers zoomed-in, tighter shot of the action that is optimized for the smaller screen size of mobile devices.

READ MORE > VR 20/20 2017: Virtual Reality Can Enliven ‘Dying’ Sports

NBA Digital and NextVR have struck a multi-year partnership that includes a commitment to stream at least one live NBA League Pass game per week in virtual reality format during the 2016/2017 season, starting with the Oct. 27 matchup between the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs at the Golden 1 center.

RELATED: Fox Sports, NextVR Strike Five-Year Pact

The full VR schedule will be announced later this month, but the first VR game, the inaugural game at the new venue, will be offered for free, as part of the NBA  League Pass free trial period.  The VR broadcasts will feature dedicated announcers, multiple unmanned camera angles and “optimized graphics,” they said, noting that game breaks will be filled with in-venue entertainment, behind-the-scenes footage from the arena and VR-specific commentary.

RELATED: Virtual Reality Tackles College Football

Future VR productions will be available as part of the NBA League Pass subscription package.

Financial terms were not announced, but the deal also makes NextVR the “Official LEAGUE PASS VR Partner of the NBA.” 

The first game will be supported in the format on the Oculus-powered Samsung Gear VR, with more VR headset options to become available later in the season.

NextVR connected with Turner Sports on a VR production for last year’s season opener between the Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans at Oracle Arena. 

Founded in 2009, NextVR recently landed an $80 million “B” round of funding.

Three weeks into his first season heading NBA Digital, Albert “Scooter” Vertino likes what he sees across the league’s multiplatform properties.

Vertino, who in August was named NBA Digital general manager with oversight of NBA TV, NBA.com, WNBA.com, NBADLeague.com, NBA League Pass, as well as the league’s broadband and wireless businesses, says the varied storylines from the San Antonio Spurs winning the 2014 title in convincing fashion to moves made throughout the summer season are coalescing to fuel the business.

“We’re very excited about the first few weeks,” he said in an interview “From LeBron [James] returning to Cleveland, Derrick Rose and Kobe [Bryant] coming back from injuries and Steve Kerr moving from the [Turner] booth to leading the Golden State Warriors, there was plenty of off-season action. Now, the [Toronto] Raptors, [Sacramento] Kings and [Washington] Wizards are all doing well. There are plenty of stories around the league that are driving interest.”

That engagement is translating on various scorecards – with 11% being a key ratio for NBA TV.

The league’s in-house service averaged 368,000 total viewers through its first 11 telecasts, up 11% from the same stage of last season, according to Nielsen data. Moreover, the contests were also up 11% among persons 18 to 49 and men of the same age.  

NBA TV’s “Fan Night” telecasts have thrived. The first two telecasts – a fan vote determines which game will air on the network that now counts some 60 million subscribers – averaged 659,000 watchers, a 129% jump from the first two contests in 2013.

The 836,000 watchers who tuned in the Cleveland Cavaliers-Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 3 represented the network’s second-most-viewed Fan Night telecast and third-most-viewed regular season game ever. That delivery has helped the network ring up respective gains of 188%, 201% and 227%, respectively, among persons 18 to 49, men 18 to 49 and guys 18 to 34.

In addition to Cleveland-Portland, Fan Night has also featured Golden State-San Antonio and on Nov. 18, Sacramento-New Orleans, as NBA aficianados have pointed West in the early going.

“We certainly don’t have an East Coast bias. It doesn’t matter to us. We’re only looking for exciting, close basketball,” said Vertino, who also oversees the programming and scheduling for all sports content for the division including the NBA on TNT, MLB on TBS, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and PGA Championship.  

Game action aside, NBA TV is also scoring with its original programming. Since the start of the 2014-15 regular season, the network's 13 premiere episodes of The Starters were up 52% in viewership over last year, while weekly roundtable show The Beat grew 4% in total audience. However, the demo deliveries have leaped 35% among persons 18 to 49, 18% against men of that age and 40% with males 18 to 34.

The first four installments of this season’s Open Court opened well, advancing 77% among viewers, 89% with men 18 to 49 and 87% with the set Madison Avenue covets most over the same period last year. The reminisce and assessment show features Ernie Johnson leading discussions among the likes of Charles Barkely, Kenny Smith, Shaq O’Neal, Grant Hill, Rick Fox, Reggie Miller, Isiah Thomas and Steve Smith, among others.

“The idea was that if we got the guys in a casual environment and let the cameras roll, the conversation would flow and we would get some great stories and anecdotes,” explained Vertino. “‘I remember that game against Phoenix in 1994.' ‘That’s right, but I remember you did this against Washington four years later.’ It’s good, fun stuff.”

More is on the way: Vertino said four episodes will be shot in January, with the installments parsed over time, including one premiere near All-Star weekend.

Vertino, who succeeded Christina Miller, now the president and general manager of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, said his job is relatively simple.

“Christina did a great job for three-plus years. My job is not to screw things up,” he said with a laugh.

More seriously, under Vertino’s watch, NBA Digital is placing more of an emphasis on news and updates. “We’re not necessarily breaking news, but we need to react and provide a voice,” he said, noting the information from the likes of David Aldridge appear on the network, its app, NBA.com and social outlets.

As for NBA League Pass, net subscriptions to the pay-per-view package, which this year is sporting enhanced video quality and is available on more platforms than ever before, including the Xbox One, were up 21% through Nov. 16, capped by a 48% surge for its premium version.

 For the NBA's opening week of Oct. 27 through Nov. 2, NBA.com page views and unique visitors were up 20% and 7%, respectively, compared to last season's tip.

Continuing the changing of the guard in its upper management ranks, Turner Broadcasting System has tapped Christina Miller to head Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang.

As president and general manager of the three networks and their digital extensions, Miller has oversight for leading the business in North America and working closely with Turner International to establish short and long-term priorities, as well as an overall worldwide strategic plan that will more closely align the kids business. This role gives Miller global oversight of linear and non-linear content, the consumer products group and franchise management

Rob Sorcher, chief content officer, Cartoon Network and Mike Lazzo, executive vice president/creative director, Adult Swim will report to Miller.

Miller, who has been serving as general manager of NBA Digital and senior vice president of Turner Sports strategy, marketing and promotion, steps into a leadership role that has been vacant since Stuart Snyder exited his post as president and COO of Turner’s former Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media division at the end of March.

She will continue to serve NBA Digital through a transition period over the ensuing weeks. It was unclear at presstime, who would step into that role. NBA Digital, encompassing linear network NBA TV, NBA.com, WNBA.com, NBA League.com, NBA League Pass, as well as the league’s broadband and wireless businesses.is owned by the pro basketball circuit, but operated by Turner. The decision to whom succeeds Miller will be made collaboratively, according to a Turner spokesman.

Snyder’s departure followed a reorganization that saw John Martin become chairman and CEO of Turner and David Levy president of the company in January.  Since then, there has been a changing of the guard in the executive suite as Turner Entertainment Networks president Steve Koonin, CNN ad sales chief Greg D’Alba have moved on to new gigs, while longtime chief research officer Jack Wakshlag also stepped down.

Last week, Turner Sports veteran Lenny Daniels was promoted to president, gaining daily oversight of the unit.

The new job returns Miller to Cartoon Network. Before moving into Turner’s sports realm, Miller was senior vice president of Cartoon Network Enterprises, which she joined in 2005, and directed Turner’s youth and young adults consumer products and home video business in the United States, including global licensing partnerships and merchandising strategies and retail business development for Cartoon Network and Adult Swim properties.

Four years later, she was upped to senior vice president of Cartoon Network and Turner Sports strategy, marketing and promotion. In 2011, she left her Cartoon Network responsibilities as she added NBA Digital general manager to her title.

Before joining Turner, Miller served as senior vice president of brand licensing for HIT Entertainment, responsible for brand strategy and licensing for classic preschool brands including Thomas & Friends, Barney, The Wiggles and Bob the Builder.

Cartoon Network is the top U.S. network in primetime among boys 6 to 11 and 9 to 14, and can currently be seen in 385 million homes worldwide and 194 countries. Spinoff service Adult Swim is a Nielsen powerhouse among young adults 18 to 34.

“As we continue to expand and look for growth opportunities in the kids and young adults business, it is imperative that we strategically leverage the brand equity that Cartoon Network has worldwide and continue to build on the tremendous success of Adult Swim,” said Levy, to whom Miller will report. “Christina is a well-respected executive who has had great success growing the NBA Digital business for us and also brings a wealth of experience in leading global brands and franchises in the kids business.”

Noted Miller: “I am very excited to return in this new role to the business that I initially joined Turner for, and look forward to working with Rob, Mike and the great teams at Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. These are beloved brands with a passionate following and there’s a tremendous opportunity to continue to grow them domestically and, with guidance from David and Turner International president Gerhard Zeiler, a new focus on alignment and partnership to leverage the global potential of Cartoon Network and Boomerang.”

The talent pool in this year’s NBA draft was the strongest in several years, and now that potential all stars like Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker have been assigned to professional squads the speculation as to how they will improve their respective teams has begun. Fans eager to watch the league’s rookies play will have a chance to do so a few months early, as NBA Digital will present the all 92 of the 2014 Summer League games across NBA TV, NBA.com and NBA Mobile.

All 25 Orlando Pro Summer League games, which take place from July 5 to July 11 at the Orlando Magic’s practice facility at Amway Center, will be shown across the three platforms. The 67 Samsung NBA Summer League 2014 games, which take place from July 11 to July 21, will play out at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

All told, NBA TV will air 60 of the summer league contests from the two venues. . 

The league semifinals take place on July 20 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., with the final game airing July 21 at 9 p.m.