“Destination NBA: AG League Odyssey” is a comprehensive look at what it’s like for G League players who are trying to make it big in the NBA. The documentary, airing August 8 on Prime Video and produced by Religion of Sports and The Ringer, provides a fascinating look at life on the fringes of the NBA.
“There are probably 1,000 people who may or may not deserve to be in the NBA right now,” explains Spencer Dinwiddie, a G League alum and nine-year NBA veteran, in one of the documentary’s opening scenes. “It’s about understanding how fragile your situation is and how many people are trying to go through that funnel.”
Those G League players have a wealth of stories to tell. Co-director Liam Hughes sought to capture a variety of voices in the documentary, focusing on five actors with different backgrounds.
The biggest of these names is what Hughes calls the “blue chipper” archetype, filled by pick #1. 3 overall draft Scoot Henderson. The documentary follows Henderson as he navigates his second season with the G League Ignite.
“Being able to see and experience how mature he is at such a young age was really fascinating,” Hughes told The Jugo Mobile.
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Denzel Valentine, a former lottery winner and five-year NBA veteran, offers a completely different perspective in the film, as do Ryan Turell, who is the first Orthodox Jew to try to get into the league, and former Arkansas star Mason Jones.
“We were looking at what the different types of players are in the G League and wanted to make sure that we represent a group of those different types in our documentary so you can see who is competing,” Hughes said.
Gabe York, a 30-year-old guard trying to get into the NBA, stole the show as the most poignant of those entries featured. York’s roller coaster ride illustrated the thin line between failure and success.
“I think her journey is super relatable,” Hughes said. “You can train all you want and have a really high skill level, but you need some luck.”
Very few people will reach the athletic pinnacles of York. But Hughes and co-director Bryant Robinson find ways to make him and the other actors relatable to audiences.
“What I love about making documentaries is that I get to study the human experience,” Hughes said. “That’s what really fascinated me. I do it in the world of sport right now, but our goal is to make it recognizable to anyone. It can be appealing and impactful to a wider audience than just fans of the sport.
“It is always our goal to show what we can learn from these people whose position we will never find ourselves in. Because, in the end, they’re still human beings who are struggling with a lot of the same things that we Are.”
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“Destination NBA” also shows the much less glamorous side of being a professional athlete.
“It’s not all private jets and Lamborghinis,” Hughes said. “These kids, they wake up. They practice. They eat. They sleep. A lot of times they fly commercial. They stay in cheap hotels. These guys are really grinding day after day.”
One of the more unique stories in the documentary is that of Turell, whose journey from Division III Yeshiva University to the Motor City Cruise is covered in great detail. Turell faces the challenge not only of playing against better competition, but also of representing his community as an Orthodox Jew.
“Ryan Turell having a greater purpose in his journey was really fascinating and relatable,” Hughes said. “To see Ryan go on a journey where he said, ‘What I’ve achieved is obviously very important to me, but how I’m inspiring people and how I’m influencing people is just as important.’”
Without revealing too much about the documentary, some actors succeed and some fail. The camera stays with them at their most vulnerable moments, and the journey is made more compelling by interviews from G League alumni who have gone on to the NBA.
One of the more prominent voices is Dinwiddie, who closes the film with a positive statement for those gamers who are still trying to make it.
“Spencer’s bite at the end was a perfect ending because it reminds these guys, everyone really, that if you’re not where you want to be, you’re still awesome,” Hughes said. “And you have to keep an eye on how unique and special you are.”
2023-08-08 19:37:32
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