HBO Sports, which has a rich tradition of provocative and engaging programming initiatives, is teaming up with Hollywood film and TV producer Jamie Patricof and reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant for the revealing reality special THE OFFSEASON: KEVIN DURANT, debuting TUESDAY, NOV. 4 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Other
HBO playdates: Nov. 5 (2:30 p.m., 2:40 a.m.), 7 (5:00 p.m.), 8 (11:00 a.m.), 10 (5:45 p.m.), 16 (9:00 a.m.) and 24 (10:00 a.m., 3:35 a.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Nov. 12 (12:45 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 14 (7:00 p.m.), 23 (6:00 p.m.), 26 (9:30 a.m., 11:00 p.m.) and 29 (2:00 p.m., 3:15 a.m.)
The unscripted special is a first-person account of the life of the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar forward, from the moment his NBA basketball season ended on May 31, until he reported to training camp for the upcoming season in late September. The concept for the film was created by Durant, Patricof and Rich Kleiman, Durant's Roc Nation agent. THE OFFSEASON: KEVIN DURANT is directed by Brendan and Emmett Malloy.
Cameras and microphones were embedded with the 26-year-old five-time All-Star throughout the summer, capturing his transition from the extremely demanding pace of a 100-game pro basketball campaign to the equally demanding off-season.
"Seeing how Kevin approaches the game of basketball was a truly inspiring experience," says Patricof. "The dedication to his craft, but more importantly who he is as a person and a human being, make him one of the most unique people I have had the opportunity to collaborate with. As a father of two girls, I am thankful that we have role models like Kevin. I am truly excited for people around the world to get a good look at who Kevin is and what makes him tick."
THE OFFSEASON takes an honest and unfiltered look at what happens to one of the biggest names in the game once the final buzzer sounds at the end of a grueling NBA season. After moving to Los Angeles for the summer, Durant is consumed with keeping his game razor-sharp, making the incredibly tough decision of stepping away from
USA Basketball, tending to his business partner and brand commitments, appearing at camps, and still finding time to rest his body and mind before returning to OKC to lead the Thunder as they prepare for the 2014-2015 season.
"Working with
HBO on this project was an exciting opportunity, and I want to thank the film crews, producers, directors and everyone involved," says Durant. "The project allowed me to show my fans the work that is put in on and away from the court when the cameras are off us. With THE OFFSEASON now in the wraps, I look forward to taking all the work that people will see happens in the summer months to the court in the regular season with my teammates and the Thunder."
A native of Washington, D.C., Durant attended the University of Texas and was the second player chosen in the 2007 NBA Draft. After one season in Seattle, Durant was part of the organization's relocation to Oklahoma City. His pro career with the Thunder has flourished with individual as well as team accomplishments, fueling an extraordinary success story in one of the league's smallest television markets. The franchise has blossomed into one of the NBA's premier organizations since Durant's arrival.
Durant was the league's Rookie of the Year in 2008, has been voted to five All-Star Game appearances, was named MVP of the 2012 All-Star Game, has led the NBA in scoring average four times, played on the gold medal-winning 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and earned league MVP honors for his stellar 2013-14 performance. His acceptance speech last May was an unforgettable highlight of the NBA postseason.
HBO Sports has been a trailblazer in unscripted sports reality programming for more than a decade, with a stylish and contemporary approach keyed by unrestricted access. "Hard Knocks" launched in 2001 in partnership with
NFL FILMS and has won 11 Sports Emmy® Awards for production excellence. In 2007, the groundbreaking all-access reality franchise "24/7" debuted, and has earned 18 Sports Emmy® Awards, making it the most honored regularly scheduled sports series during that span.
THE OFFSEASON: KEVIN DURANT will also be available on
HBO On Demand® and
HBO GO®.
THE OFFSEASON: KEVIN DURANT was created by Kevin Durant, Jamie Patricof and Rich Kleiman; executive produced by Kevin Durant, Jamie Patricof, Shawn Jay Z Carter, Rich Kleiman, Juan Perez; directed by Emmett and Brendan Malloy; produced by Katie McNeill and Justin Cooper; edited by Garrett Darland; music by Money Mark; co-produced by Danny Barton; director of photography, Alaistair McKevitt. For HBO: executive producer, Rick Bernstein; supervising producer, Bentley Weiner.
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