Basketball County: In the Water
| Basketball County: In the Water | |
|---|---|
 Main promotional poster forBasketball County,taken inCheverly, Maryland. | |
| Directed by | Jimmy Jenkins John Beckham |
| Written by | Amani Martin |
| Produced by | Sarah Flynn Amani Martin Brean Cunningham John Beckham Kirk Fraser |
| Edited by | David Marcus |
| Music by | Jason Mills Derrick Gamlam |
Production company | Thirty Five Ventures |
| Distributed by | Showtime Networks |
Release date |
|
Running time | 52 minutes |
| Country | United States of America |
| Language | English |
Basketball County: In the Wateris a 2020 American sports documentary film produced byKevin Durant'scompany Thirty Five Ventures. The film explores the culture surrounding youth basketball inPrince George's County,Maryland,an area that has produced a significant number of talented basketball players, including Durant. Durant and Prince George's County nativeVictor Oladiposerved as executive producers, and local rapperJason Millsnarrated the film.
The film was distributed byShowtime Networksand debuted May 15, 2020 on the network's live and digital services.
Synopsis
[edit]Due to its role in producing basketball players that have gone on to star in the NBA, WNBA, and college level, basketball players that grew up in "PG County" attest that there is something "in the water" there that leads to the production of talented basketball players. The film traces basketball's prominence in the nation's capital back toEdwin Bancroft Henderson,dubbed "the father of black basketball," who thought that black youth would benefit from athletic skills. After racial unrest following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., middle-class black families left Washington for suburban Prince George's County, which boasted hundreds of basketball courts at its parks. After thecrack epidemicof the 1980s, youth basketball moved indoors to the county's recreation centers, which served as safe places for youth to play basketball and develop friendships.
The film also chronicles the career ofMorgan Wootten,longtime coach of basketball powerhouseDeMatha Catholic High School,the effects ofLen Bias'death on the Prince George's community, the role ofAmateur Athletic Unionteams in garnering player prestige, the influence ofgo-gomusic on players, and the role of AAU coach Curtis Malone in the lives of players before his arrest on federal drug charges in 2014. Durant's philanthropic ventures in the county are also chronicled. The film is dedicated to the memory of Bias, Wootten, and Durant's close friends Cliff Dixon, who died in an Atlanta shooting in 2019, and Jamar "Silent" Board, a DC playground basketball star who died suspiciously in 2013.[1][2]
Notable interviewees include Durant, Oladipo,Michael Beasley,JeraiandJerami Grant,Morgan Wootten,Marissa Coleman,James Brown,Jeff Green,Walt Williams,Steve Francis,Brenda Frese,Adrian Dantley,Jarrett Jack,Kris Jenkins,Nate Britt,John Thompson,Michael Sweetney,Quinn Cook,Markelle Fultz,Lamman Rucker,DerMarr Johnson,andNolan Smith.
Release
[edit]Showtimereleased the film on its digital streaming service on May 15, 2020 ahead of its planned airing on its TV channel that same night.[3]
Reception
[edit]The film received positive reviews from critics, some of whom highlighted the role it played in providing basketball lore during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[4]Brady Langmann ofEsquiregave the film a positive review, comparing it favorably toThe Last Dance,a miniseries about Michael Jordan. Langmann called the film "a little too breezy for its own good," referring to the many subplots, but remarked that it was "more than worth the watch."[5]
References
[edit]- ^Capelouto, J.D. (September 9, 2019)."Cops release new video of fatal shooting of Kevin Durant's 'adopted brother'".Atlanta Journal-Constitution.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-09-15.
- ^Prewitt, Alex (February 4, 2013)."Jamar Board: A D.C. playground legend who never got out".Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-02-05.
- ^"Basketball County In The Water | Showtime".SHO.com.Retrieved2020-05-15.
- ^Golliver, Ben (May 14, 2020)."Kevin Durant traces Prince George's County's rich, supportive basketball history in new film".Washington Post.Archivedfrom the original on 2020-05-15.
- ^Langmann, Brady (2020-05-15)."A County in Maryland Produces a Wild Number of Basketball Stars. This Documentary Wants to Know Why".Esquire.Retrieved2020-05-15.