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Musician-actor Andre Benjamin is joining Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson in toplining New Line's "Semi-Pro," a comedy set in the world of 1970s pro basketball.

Benjamin's in final negotiations to portray a player on the fictional Flint, Mich., Tropics in the final year of the American Basketball Assn. Ferrell will play the flamboyant owner-player-coach, Harrelson another player.

Jimmy Miller's producing and Kent Alterman's directing from a Scot Armstrong screenplay about a former NBA benchwarmer who returns to his ragtag team for a shot at redemption. Project has been put on the fast track, with shooting expected to start early next year.

Benjamin's feature credits include "Idlewild," "Four Brothers" and Stuart Townsend's upcoming "Battle in Seattle." He's better known as Andre 3000, half of the Grammy-winning duo OutKast; they received a Grammy nom Thursday for two songs from "Idlewild" -- "Mighty O" and "Don't Worry About Me."

Benjamin's repped by WMA.