HBO's "The Offseason: Kevin Durant" debuts tonight at 10:00pm ET, and Durant's "diverse basketball interests come together" in the documentary, according to Mel Bracht of the OKLAHOMAN. The film provides an "intimate look at the Thunder superstar," and is a "must-see for KD fans." It shows Durant "training and playing video games with childhood friends at a house in Beverly Hills" and running with Thunder G Russell Westbrook up a sand hill in L.A.. It also shows Durant "marketing a new shoe and video game and later signing a lucrative contract with Nike." The concept for the 52-minute film was "created by Durant, film producer Jamie Patricof and Rich Kleiman," Durant’s agent at Roc Nation Sports. It was "directed by Brendan and Emmett Malloy." Starting with his "emotional MVP acceptance speech, the special tracks Durant for more than 120 days of his offseason and then adds a segment after his foot injury in Thunder training camp" (OKLAHOMAN, 11/4). In DC, Michael Lee wrote Kleiman in one scene "got upset after a reporter violated terms of an interview agreement and mistakenly asked Durant about becoming a free agent next summer." Durant "politely corrected the reporter" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 11/3). Patricof said, "The idea was to show what is seen as the offseason for an athlete. I think people don't have any idea how much work an athlete has to do in the offseason." But SI.com's Richard Deitsch writes, "Given Durant is one of the producers, it brings up an obvious question. Are viewers getting authenticity or is the documentary merely meant to mythologize Durant?" (SI.com, 11/4). Durant said, "I just wanted to give people a different look. They only see us when the lights come on. I wanted to show people the hard work we put in on and off the court for us to be who we are. I'm excited for everybody to see it. Hopefully they like it” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 11/4).
SHOE FLY, DON'T BOTHER ME: Durant in the documentary is shown attending an event to launch his new Nike KD7 sneaker, and Durant says, "I'm on my seventh shoe and it's like, 'Damn, I got my own tennis shoe.' It still hasn't hit yet to be honest. I never would have thought this would happen. I walk down the street and kids are like, 'Man, I just bought your shoes today,' and I just sit there and go, 'Wow.' Somebody actually walked in and said, 'I want some Kevin Durant sneakers'" ("The Offseason," HBO, 11/4). But in Portland, Allan Brettman noted Durant's decision to sign with Nike over Under Armour this offseason "barely gets a nod" in the film. It "gives no real hint at what occurred between Point A and Point B of his decision to re-sign with Nike." Point A would "be about a quarter way into the video, when Durant is shown making a late June visit to New York City to promote the debut of the KD7." Point B "arrives toward the end of the roughly 60-minute film," when Roc Nation President & Chief Strategy Officer Michael Yormark "walks into a Roc Nation office and hands Durant what appears to be a single page." There are "no behind-the-scenes peeks of the great Durant sneaker chase," and "no visits between Durant and Nike contacts or the Under Armour interlopers." There is not even a "peep between Durant and his agent about the shoe deal" (Portland OREGONIAN, 11/3).
