OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 14: Quinn Cook #4 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors talk with ... [+]
The Last Dance has captivated sports fans during the coronavirus pandemic and given us all something to look forward to each Sunday night since April 19.
The documentary covering Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls 1997-98 season is averaging 5.8 million viewers through the first six episodes. But there are only two more weeks to go — with Episodes 7 and 8 coming Sunday and Episodes 9 and 10 set to air May 17.
What are basketball fans to do after that?
Kevin Durant may have the answer.
On Friday at 9 p.m., SHOWTIME will begin airing the new documentary BASKETBALL COUNTY: In The Water, a collaboration with Durant and his agent Rich Kleiman’s Thirty Five Ventures. The film explores how one county in Maryland, Durant’s hometown, has recently produced more elite basketball players than anywhere else in the world.
In The Water tells the story of Prince George’s County, Md., and its social, economic and cultural evolution through the lens of some of the game’s biggest stars—Durant, Victor Oladipo, Michael Beasley, Quinn Cook, Rebekkah Brunson, Marissa Coleman and many more. Since 2000, the county just outside the nation’s capital has spawned some 25 NBA players, more than a dozen WNBA players, and countless more who have competed at elite universities, highlighting the decades-long prevalence of basketball within a region of roughly 800,000 residents.
In The Water chronicles key moments in basketball’s history – from James Naismith’s invention to the emergence of the “Father of Black Basketball,” Edwin B. Henderson, and the migration of African-American families from Washington D.C. to a suburban county that became fertile ground for many of basketball’s best players. Former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz, five-time WNBA champion Rebekkah Brunson and Naismith Hall of Fame inductees Morgan Wootten and Adrian Dantley share their personal stories about the rich legacy of the county’s basketball programs and mentors that fueled their rise.
“This is a project that is near and dear to my heart,” said Durant. “Having grown up in Prince George’s County and with my family residing there today, it’s my life’s mission to not only give back through my foundation but continue to tell the amazing stories of those that have come from there. I’m really excited to be partnering with SHOWTIME and for fans to hear from some of the world’s best players about what PG County means to them.”
Kleiman recently said it was “unrealistic” to expect that Durant would play this season for the Brooklyn Nets if the NBA resumes. But this project will give fans a glimpse into Durant’s background and influences even if he’s not currently playing in NBA games.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - OCTOBER 29: Rich Kleiman, Kevin Durant, and Steven Bertoni speak during the 2019 ... [+]
“Kevin and I are looking to tell compelling stories with sports at the forefront of every Thirty Five Ventures media project, and BASKETBALL COUNTY exemplifies that,” Kleinman said. “Through the voices of nearly a dozen former and current professional basketball players from Prince George’s County, fans will learn how important basketball is to the area and how it’s impacted the game itself.”
The film is directed by John Beckham, a native of PG County, who told The Washington Post how the project began.
“I knew that we had to not just ask [Durant] but show him some work, so I did some interviews with some local NBA guys, made a sizzle reel and sent that to his manager, Rich [Kleiman],” Beckham told the Post. “They dug it, and they’ve been in since then. … I don’t really know if this happens if Kevin isn’t involved in it. He’s really putting on for the county with the movie but also all the people involved in it. It’s pretty awesome, I think.”
The film aims to tell a story beyond basketball.
“It’s a piece about community, made by the community, for the community,” Beckham said.
In The Water most likely won’t draw anywhere near the number of viewers as The Last Dance. But with the Jordan saga soon to end and the status of the current NBA season in doubt, the Durant story offers another captivating story to watch.
