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Basketball: A Love Story
Overview
'Basketball: A Love Story' is a series of 62 interconnected short stories that creates a vibrant mosaic of the game, featuring 165 exclusive interviews. The cast encompasses basketball's most prominent figures and explores the complex nature of love as it relates to the game.
Status
Ended
Created By
Dan Klores
Network
ESPN, ESPN2
Seasons & Episodes
Season 1
Episodes
Love of the Game
The best in the game share why they love basketball, and speak about the players they grew up emulating, late nights practicing in the driveway, and how basketball provided a refuge from the realities of life.
The Teachers
A tribute to the role coaches have played in not just the game, but the lives of their players. Coaches speak candidly about how to motivate, teach and get the best from their players.
The Choke
The 1997 incident where Latrell Sprewell choked his coach, PJ Carlesimo, sparks the conversation about the relationship between player and coach.
Origins
The beginnings of basketball are traced from James Naismith to the expansion of the game across the country - leading to the development of college leagues.
Scandal
The story of a point shaving scandal in the college ranks that almost derailed the sport in the 1950s, as well as a profile of two of the first superstars of the sport: George Mikan and Bob Cousy.
Signature Moves: The Feel
The Art of the Game and how some of the greatest mastered their "Signature Moves", featuring Chris Paul, Wes Unseld, Diana Taurasi, Allen Iverson and Earl Monroe.
The Spring of '57
The NBA's first dynasty, the Boston Celtics, powered by Red Auerbach and Bill Russell. And an introduction to Wilt Chamberlain, a giant even in a sport of big men, during his time at University of Kansas.
Patriots to Protest
Oscar Robertson and Jerry West lead the U.S. Olympic team in a symbolic win against the USSR during the Cold War in 1960. In 1968, players face a difficult choice to play or not to play when a boycott by prominent Black athletes is implemented.
Signature Moves: The Touch
How some of the greatest in the game mastered their "Signature Moves", this time featuring Steph Curry, Bernard King and Hakeem Olajuwon.
ABA: The Red, White, and Blue
The American Basketball Association became one of the first upstart leagues to challenge the dominance of the NBA. A hilarious and nostalgic look at some of the tactics used by early executives and players to gain attention.
The Dipper and the Winner
One of the greatest rivalries in basketball - Wilt Chamberlain versus Bill Russell. Russell and his Celtics continue to get the best of Chamberlain's teams, including in the iconic 1965 Eastern Conference Finals.
Signature Moves: Discipline
How some of the greatest in the game mastered their "Signature Moves", featuring Lebron James, Walt Frazier and Dirk Nowitzki.
Mayhem in Munich
The 1972 Olympics will forever be remembered for the tragedy that took the lives of 11 Israeli athletes. That year, the US again faced off with the USSR, in one of the most controversial finishes in Olympic history.
Brotherly Love
The tragic story of Maurice Stokes, a former all-star who was injured during a game and debilitated for the rest of his life. But from tragedy grew a bond between he and teammate Jack Twyman.
The Witch Hunt
A look at gambling in the early days of the sport, and Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins who was wrongly accused of being involved in a point shaving scandal during his freshman year at University of Iowa.
Birth of the Bruins
An introduction to the UCLA Bruins, arguably the greatest dynasty in the history of men's college basketball, and their coach John Wooden.
Tomboys
Some of the game's greatest female players, including Cheryl Miller, Ann Myers, Nancy Lieberman, and Carol Blazejowski discuss their love of the game and challenges they faced as pioneers of the women's game.
Rupp's Reckoning
There are endless stories of racism, but also humanity, in the early days of college basketball, including the era of Adolph Rupp at Kentucky, the integration of the college game at Texas Western, and the strength of Charlie Scott.
Renegades
Explore the tumultuous years of the ABA, where the league did everything it could to compete with the NBA, with differing levels of success.
The Eighth Wonder of the World
Lew Alcindor, one of the greatest players of all-time, led UCLA in the "Game of the Century" against Elvin Hayes and the University of Houston. The Houston upset is seen as paving the way for college basketball to be widely televised.
Title IX: Immaculata
Title IX gave rise to the women's game at the college level, and the first great team emerged from Immaculata University. Immaculata won 3 consecutive NCAA Titles from 1972-1974 and played in the first ever televised NCAA Women's CBB.
Joy or Relief?
Al McGuire won an NCAA title with Marquette in the last game he ever coached. The game's top coaches debate whether finally winning brings joy, or relief?
Oscar and the West: Bittersweet Victories
Oscar Robertson joins forces with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the Milwaukee Bucks, and Jerry West teams up with Wilt Chamberlain on the Los Angeles Lakers. Two of the greatest pairs ever to play together, but even with each victory, their past will haunt them.
Self Expression
Walt "Clyde" Frazier was one of the first to become a cultural icon off the court. Players like Pete Maravich and Calvin Murphy continued that trend, but their popularity stemmed from their play on the court.
One and Done
The debate over eligibility and "one and done" started well before John Calipari and the University of Kentucky - Spencer Haywood was one of the first to challenge the rules.
David vs Goliath
After winning six national championships, the UCLA dynasty continued through the Bill Walton era. The Bruins dominated until they came up against David Thompson and his NC State team, who finally knocked them off and claimed a title of their own.
General Knight
Bobby Knight, one of the most prolific and vilified coaches of all-time, led his Indiana program to glory.
Deal of the Century
The ABA and NBA merge in 1976 with the St. Louis Spirit owners taking a smaller buyout but a portion of the NBA's TV rights in perpetuity.
Wild Days: Upsets, Brawls, and No-Calls
The league continues its intense ways during 1976 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns, which culminated in a Celtics championship and produced a triple-overtime Game 5, which is considered by some to be the greatest NBA game ever.
Do or Die
George Gervin and David Thompson competed down the wire in one of the NBA's tightest races for the scoring title ever. The two were within fractions of a point in scoring average entering the last game of the season, and both put on a show.
Tailspin
In the '70s, the NBA's image was at an all time low due to rampant cocaine use and an increase in on-court violence. Only the birth of the greatest individual rivalry in the sport's history could keep it afloat: Magic Johnson v Larry Bird.
Portland's One Year Dynasty
The Portland Trailblazers, led by Bill Walton, win the 1977 NBA Championship against the Dr. J-led 76ers. Though it appeared a dynasty was being born, continuous injuries to Walton in the subsequent years derailed the team's chances.
The First Lady
Pat Summitt, one of the greatest coaches in the history of basketball, is profiled - spanning from her time as a player, to her role as Olympic head coach, to the dynasty she built at the University of Tennessee.
Don't Call Me Buckwheat
Lenny Wilkens is the consummate underdog. Despite a childhood of poverty, racism and the untimely death of his father, Wilkens fought his way to the top of professional basketball, eventually coaching the Seattle Supersonics to their first and only title.
Genius Gene
Magic Johnson, then a rookie, puts himself on the map leading the LA Lakers to the 1980 NBA title. Johnson's brilliant career serves as a jumping off point to discuss whether basketball genius is born or made.
Georgetown Culture: John Thompson's America
The creation of the Big East conference gave rise to the Georgetown Hoya teams under John Thompson. Led by Patrick Ewing, Georgetown showed its dominance on the court. Off the court, their importance to the Black community is explored.
NBA: It's Fantastic
Former NBA commissioner David Stern is profiled, and the Stern era - considered to be the time in which the NBA's popularity exploded - is explored. One thing that helped: the star-studded "NBA: It's Fantastic" advertisement campaign.
Contempt: LA vs. Boston
Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA's greatest team rivalry included a tough coach named Pat Riley leading the Lakers to titles over the Celtics. A look into the rivalry that was fierce on the court and acrimonious off it.
The First Lottery
A look at the first NBA Draft Lottery in 1984, made all the more interesting by the prize awaiting the first winner: Patrick Ewing. When Ewing went to the New York Knicks, rampant conspiracy theories began to emerge.
Signature Moves: The Mind
A look at the strangest free throw shooting techniques in the sport's history, followed by a breakdown of the pick and roll, and the art of flopping.
Born to Coach
5-Star Camps, started in the late 1960s by Howard Garfinkel, became the place where top high school players and college coaches showcase their talents. Later, Rick Pitino puts Providence on the map with an NCAA tournament run.
Glasnost: The Walls Come Down
A look at how the game of basketball became international, starting with coach John McLendon and later a wave of stars. In light of the emerging international talent, the US is unexpectedly beaten at the 1988 Olympics, finishing with the bronze medal.
Little Big Men
A great history of small players - from Bob Cousey to Becky Hammon, to Chris Paul, Spud Webb, and Muggsy Bogues.
Air Jordan
Michael Jordan takes over the NBA: the building of a player, brand, and a pop culture icon.
Magic
Magic Johnson becomes the most well-known person in the world to be diagnosed with HIV after announcing his retirement at the age of 32. His announcement gave the HIV/AIDS movement a public figure to rally behind.
College Coaches: The Changing of the Guard
The success stories of Jim Valvano at NC State, Rollie Massimino at Villanova, and Denny Crum at Louisville opened the door for other unique styles of coaching that supplanted the success and star power of their predecessors.
Dream Team
After a disappointing performance at the 1988 Olympics, USA Basketball negotiates to get NBA players into the Olympic Games. The Dream Team went on to blow out all of their opponents, win the gold, and help raise the sport's profile even further.
The Coach and the Killer: Phil Jackson and MJ
Phil Jackson brings outside-the-box thinking and tactics to his role as the coach of the Chicago Bulls. His blend of psychology and the triangle offense is just the formula to get the most out of his roster of big personalities.
Pat Versus Geno
The rivalry between the University of Tennessee and the University of Connecticut is magnified because of the tension between the schools' head coaches, Pat Summit and Geno Auriemma.
The W
Following the impressive gold-medal showing from the 1996 USA Women's Basketball Olympic team, NBA commissioner David Stern launches the WNBA in 1997 to make professional basketball more inclusive for women.
The Spurs Way
Gregg Popovich and the Spurs embrace the globalization of basketball to create a dynasty in San Antonio. Pop's coaching roots are traced back to Larry Brown and the University of Kansas. With the Spurs, he turns international players into NBA superstars.
NCAA: Pay or Play?
With the NCAA an ever-growing, billion-dollar industry, the debate continues about whether the players deserve to be compensated financially for their roles in helping to bring in millions to their schools.
Triangle: Kobe, Shaq, and Phil
The Master takes on his next challenge: trading in MJ, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman for the glitz and glamour of LA and his next pair of superstars: Shaq and Kobe. The results are a dynasty arguably as great as the one he constructed with the Bulls.
Size Matters
A celebration of the greatest big men to play the game: from international players such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Yao Ming, and Dirk Nowitzki to the United States' Shaquille O'Neal and Anthony Davis.
LeBron Enters
From his time as a high school prodigy in Akron, Ohio, to being selected first overall in 2003 by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James seemed destined to become one of the game's all-time greats.
The Decision
Seen as one of the most ill-conceived public relations events in sports history, LeBron James ends his first free agency by choosing his new team live on ESPN in "The Decision."
America's Game
With stifling defense, the early 2000s Detroit Pistons become the model for how franchises can be dominant without a true superstar. Off the strength of his performance with this Pistons, Larry Brown is tapped to coach the 2004 USA Olympic team.
Battles Royale
When LBJ took his talents to South Beach, some thought it was a foregone conclusion that the Miami Heat would easily walk away with a championship. "The Big 3" quickly learned that each championship would need to be battled and earned on the court.
Analytically Correct
The role of analytics in the contemporary game.
Golden State Emerges
Selecting future superstars Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green through the NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors emerge as a dominant force in today's NBA using the principles of small ball and catch-and-shoot.
Basketball Hysteria
A celebration of both the fully immersive experience of modern basketball ‒ complete with daily games across the globe, social media interaction, and new technologies ‒ as well as the core tenets of the game that have made basketball great for years.
Basketball Pass
The ball, the common denominator, the object of a shared feeling is held, passed to and from, caressed, embraced, twirled, hugged, whispered to, and even kissed as the final act of an expression of shared emotion.
