BRONZEVILLE — Fights erupted and friendships crumbled during the filming of a new Lifetime reality show, "Bringing Up Ballers," one cast member said.
Bronzeville resident and restaurant owner Peytyn Willborn landed a role on the show, which premieres March 1. The show captures the energy and sacrifices five Chicago area mothers/entrepreneurs put into getting their talented sons to the next level in basketball.
“All of us want the best for our sons," Willborn said. "All of us are trying to get our kids to be NBA pros."
The former celebrity stylist is one of five women who opened their doors to the cameras. Viewers get a firsthand look at how these mothers navigate the cut-throat world of high school basketball.
Peytyn Willborn (holding basketball) is in Lifetime's new reality show "Bringing Up Ballers."
They see how Nikki Burnett, Johanna Leia, Heather Williams and Tiffany Lynn juggle busy lives while managing their sons' budding basketball careers.
“Bringing Up Ballers” is produced by Eastern and Domino Effect.
Willborn grew up in Altgeld Gardens and owns three “Kids R First Learning Center” locations. She opened her first restaurant, Truth, an Italian eatery, at 56 E. Pershing Road in Bronzeville, in 2015.
Her 18-year-old son George was a senior at De La Salle High School when the show was filmed last March. He’s now playing basketball at the University of Texas at San Antonio and pursuing a business degree.
Peytyn Willborn and her son George on the set of Lifetime's "Bringing Up Ballers" [Instagram]
George Willborn said the show was his first time on camera and the experience was fun.
“It was different for me to have cameras follow my every move, but it was really cool,” he said.
Willborn said she taught her son to treat basketball like a business. He’s been playing since he was 4 years old.
Willborn said that her son initially didn't accept her advice because she was a woman and didn’t play the sport.
“A lot of times I would try to tell him something, but he wouldn’t listen, but when I started telling him that basketball is a business, he began to finally listen to me,” Willborn said.
Peytyn Willborn's son George is a freshman at University of Texas at San Antonio. [Instagram]
Although he didn’t always follow her advice, he now praises her.
“She’s a great person at heart,” he said. “My mom is more like a general manager, and she teaches me to be strong.”
They wrapped up the reality show in November.
It wouldn’t be a reality show without the drama, and there was plenty of it, Willborn said.
“I think everyone on this show is so sensitive,” she said. “If you're trying to take over this jungle, your bite better be huge.”
Her son said the show will be far from dull.
“I’m not sure how my mom is portrayed, but I can tell you that from scenes I saw that it's going to be crazy.”
During the group’s first dinner, tension developed between the families, followed by verbal threats and even a physical altercation, Willborn said.
Some of the problems existed before filming. Jealousy, insecurities and rumors fueled the arguments, Willborn said.
She admitted that the women exaggerated a little for TV, and everyone was encouraged to speak their mind and pull no punches, Willborn said.
Willborn said she was fine with the women not holding back when talking about her.
“People want a good show; they want drama,” she said. “I said, ‘Listen, whatever you have to say about me on the show to make it bigger than 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta,' do it, because at the end of the day I know who I am.’”
But Willborn said the other women weren't happy when she shared her mind about them, too.
“The first taping, that went out the door,” she said.
Seemingly solid friendships crumbled immediately when words were spoken for the sake of "good television," Willborn said.
She said she has since tried to patch things up with her co-stars, to no avail. But she has no regrets, she said.
There's already a plan for season two, Willborn said.
