''Basketball County: In The Water'' is a 2020 American sports documentary film produced by Kevin Durant's company Thirty Five Ventures. The film explores the culture surrounding youth basketball in

Prince George's County ) , demonym = Prince Georgian , ZIP codes = 20607–20774 , area codes = 240, 301 , founded date = April 23 , founded year = 1696 , named for = Prince George of Denmark , leader_title = Executive , leader_name = Angela D. Alsobrook ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, an area that has produced a significant number of talented basketball players, including Durant. Durant and Prince George's County native

Victor Oladipo Kehinde Babatunde Victor Oladipo (born May 4, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, where in the 2012-2013 sea ...

served as executive producers, and local rapper Jason Mills narrated the film. The film was distributed by

Showtime Networks Showtime Networks Inc. is an American entertainment company that oversees the company's pay television, premium cable television television channel, channels, including its flagship service Showtime (TV network), Showtime. It is a subsidiary of me ...

and debuted May 15, 2020 on the network's live and digital services.

Synopsis

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 to Edwin 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 the

crack epidemic The crack epidemic was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the United States throughout the entirety of the 1980s and the early 1990s. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in Ameri ...

of 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 of

Morgan Wootten Morgan Bayard Wootten (April 21, 1931January 21, 2020) was an American high school basketball coach for 46 seasons at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. He led the Stags to five national championships and 33 Washington Cathol ...

, longtime coach of basketball powerhouse

DeMatha Catholic High School DeMatha Catholic High School is a four-year Catholic high school for boys located in Hyattsville, Maryland, United States. Named after John of Matha, DeMatha is under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and is a member of the Washington Ca ...

, the effects of Len Bias' death on the Prince George's community, the role of

Amateur Athletic Union The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It has ...

teams in garnering player prestige, the influence of

go-go Go-go is a music subgenre, subgenre of funk music with an emphasis on specific rhythmic patterns, and live audience Call and response (music), call and response. Go-go was originated by African-American musicians in the Washington, D.C. area du ...

music 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. Notable interviewees include Durant, Oladipo,

Michael Beasley Michael Paul Beasley Jr. (born January 9, 1989) is an American professional basketball player, who most recently played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for Kansas State Univers ...

, Jerai and

Jerami Grant Houston Jerami Grant (born March 12, 1994) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange and was drafted by the Phi ...

, Morgan Wootten,

Marissa Coleman Marissa Coleman (born January 4, 1987) is an American professional basketball player previously played for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Personal life Coleman was born in Portland, Oregon to Tony and ...

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the honor ...

, Jeff Green,

Walt Williams Walter Ander "The Wizard" Williams (born April 16, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. A sharpshooting 6'8" forward/guard, Williams attended school at the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1992, and is credited by many ...

Steve Francis Steven D'Shawn Francis (born February 21, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected with the second overall pick of the 1999 NBA draft and was named co-NBA Rookie of the Year (along with Elton Brand) in his fi ...

Brenda Frese Brenda Sue Frese (born April 30, 1970) is an American women's basketball head coach and former player. Since 2002, she has served as the head coach of the University of Maryland women's basketball team. In her fourth year as head coach, she won the ...

Adrian Dantley Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player and coach who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Dantley is a six-time NBA All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection an ...

Jarrett Jack Jarrett Matthew Jack (born October 28, 1983) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He attended four high schools in No ...

Kris Jenkins Kristopher Rudy-Charles Jenkins (born August 3, 1979) is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of ...

Nate Britt Nathaniel C. Britt II (born January 13, 1994) is an American former professional basketball player. He had a decorated college career at North Carolina where he won a national NCAA championship in 2017. Following this, Britt played five seasons ...

, John Thompson,

Michael Sweetney Michael Damien Sweetney (born October 25, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. He is now the assistant coach of the Yeshiva University Men's basketball team and head coach of the girls varsity basketball team at New York's R ...

Quinn Cook Quinn Alexander Cook (born March 23, 1993) is an American professional basketball player for the Zhejiang Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was one of the top rated baske ...

Markelle Fultz Markelle N'Gai Fultz (born May 29, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies before being selected by the Phila ...

Lamman Rucker Lamman Rucker (born October 6, 1971) is an American actor. Rucker began his career on the daytime soap operas ''As the World Turns'' and ''All My Children'', before roles in ''The Temptations (miniseries), The Temptations'', Tyler Perry's films ...

DerMarr Johnson DerMarr Miles Johnson (born May 5, 1980) is an American basketball assistant coach at West Virginia and retired professional basketball player who played seven seasons in the NBA. College career Johnson was a consensus McDonald's, Parade Magazi ...

, and

Nolan Smith Nolan Derek Smith (born July 25, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player who is currently an assistant men's basketball coach for the Louisville Cardinals. He played college basketball for Duke before being drafted 21st overa ...

Release

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

released the film on its digital streaming service on May 15, 2020 ahead of its planned airing on its TV channel that same night.

Reception

The film received positive reviews from critics, some of whom highlighted the role it played in providing basketball lore during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. Brady Langmann of

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...

gave the film a positive review, comparing it favorably to ''The 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."

References

External links

{{IMDb title, 7333982, Basketball County 2020 documentary films