NBA / May 12, 2011 / 1:30 pm

10 NBA Players Who Need A Documentary

Amar'e Stoudemire

Amar'e Stoudemire (photo. Jonathan Mannion)

Since we know Steve Nash is starring in his own self-titled documentary, presumably on what it means to be Steve Nash, what other NBA players need their own movie? We’ve heard enough about LeBron and Kobe and Shaq and MJ and Magic and Bird. What about Matt Bonner and his penchant for living the wild life? How about an entire documentary dedicated to the life of James Harden‘s beard? Kendrick Perkins‘ scowl? These are the real stories, the stories that need to be told.

So here’s my list: the 10 guys in the league who absolutely need a film done on their lives.

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10. Baron Davis- Is there any NBA player who has had a more successful underachieving NBA career? On one hand, Davis could’ve been one of the best point guards ever, but couldn’t always stay in shape and didn’t seem to care enough. At the same time, he’s making moves in the film industry. We know a documentary on his rise in both basketball and filmmaking would be awesome because he actually knows how to produce and edit.

9. Michael Redd/Brandon Roy- Two fallen stars. Two stories about what it takes to make it back. Neither Redd nor Roy has made it back – and they might not ever get back – but it would make for an interesting story. Blazer fans probably shouldn’t watch.

8. Serge Ibaka- Ibaka’s rise from a nobody to a somebody has come so fast. When he first came over, he didn’t even speak English. Now, he has the makings of a cornerstone on a championship contender. Hopefully, Dikembe Mutombo would make an appearance.

7. Zaza Pachulia- If you didn’t know, Zaza is actually a pretty successful businessman. He’s opened a couple of restaurants in Atlanta and his newest one, Buckhead Bottle Bar, is doing very well. Who wouldn’t want to see Pachulia checking on the cooks and introducing himself to guests, all the while riding his waiters and waitresses by grabbing the DJ mic and bellowing out “Nothing easy! Nothing easy!”

6. Amar’e Stoudemire- If you knew exactly what STAT had to go through just to make it to the NBA, then his repeated comebacks from severe injuries wouldn’t be surprising at all. Stoudemire just doesn’t break, and the story of that will to succeed would be awesome.

5. Caron Butler- Another rags-to-riches story, Butler was arrested 15 times before the age of 15. I’m surprised no one has really completely told his journey yet. To turn your life around in just a few short years to the point where he was drafted after his sophomore year at UConn is almost unprecedented.

4. Chris Andersen- The “Birdman” would bring a whole new element to reality TV. He would take it to the next level. This would be amazing. Like how often does he do the Birdman celebration, the wing flapping? Are there specific points during the day that warrant wing-flapping? Or is it all random? He also has the best pickup line ever: “I don’t dance. I just flap my wings.”

3. J.J. Barea- I just want to follow him around for a day, a week, a month to see how often he gets refused at doors because people don’t know who he is. If they need him, Frankie Muniz could kill in this lead.

2. Leon Powe- One of the more amazing stories of a professional athlete anywhere. He often lived out on the streets growing up, and his family moved more than 20 times before he and his siblings were finally put into foster care. Even on the court, he’s had issues with multiple major knee injuries. But he never quit.

1. Zach Randolph- Is there anything else that needs to be said? Outside of the Ying-Yang Twins, Z-Bo had perhaps the most classic MTV Cribs showing of all-time. Matter of fact, Hollywood should make a movie out of this, cast Anthony Anderson to play Randolph and hire Bill Duke to play the detective who comes in and tells Z-Bo: “You know you done f***** up right?” Now, that Randolph is giving his story a good ending, this needs to be shown the light.

Which NBA player deserves his own documentary?

Follow Sean on Twitter at @SEANesweeney.

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  • http://www.dimemag.com Aron Phillips

    I’d love a doc on a career NBA journeyman. Or Alvin Williams.

  • mikeb0389

    where’s monta ellis? u gotta show him..the nba’s most unnoticed elite superstar..well unnoticed to the casual fan.

  • kz

    tyronn lue

  • Michorizo

    How about Eddy Curry “Balls In A Limo”

  • control

    Richard Jefferson…just to learn the truth and see if he’s out the closet.

    I think you will probably be seeing Zach Randolph’s documentary, on a COPS special. It will be interesting to see if he gets completely cleared of those drug dealing investigations that he has against him…

  • Bob

    um…what about Derrick Rose?

  • Detroit Dave

    what happened on Z-Bo’s Mtv Cribs episode?

  • sh!tfaced

    Shawn Kemp need a docu – Let’s see how many kids he really has…

  • Big Island

    Brian Scalabrine. I would watch that. I’ve see a piece on Caron Butler and Birdman, ESPN maybe. Butler’s was cool, but Birdman’s was rough. All kinds of weird shit with his mom and stuff.

    I would want to see guys who came from overseas. I saw something about a US team that travelled over to Europe and they played against Nowitzki’s squad in the smallest gym ever. Dirk dropped 50 or something nuts and the coach for the US team just told the guys “that dude is an NBA player”.

  • http://www.dimemag.com panchitoooo

    i wouldnt mind watching a documentary about a all-star foreign player who came to the NBA and had to sit on the bench or really is not as popular in the USA as their home country. im interested in their transition from star to role player and how it effects their game and confidence as a player. they could show him at an NBA arena and no one is asking for his autograph but when he goes home he gets all the love from his fans…

  • George W Kush Sr

    I wanna see Eddy Curry in “Eddy Curry and the quest for the last slice of pizza”

  • beiber newz

    my top 10 list:

    ron artest 1-10

  • yoda

    guys, how come you forgot dj mbenga? guy was almost executed in congo then he had to live in refugee center before he started to play basketball. imho, that is way above everything else here, including amare’e. how about zo? he came back to win championship after kidney transplant. also above most on this list. nene anyone?

  • EN FUEGO

    Manute Bol and Deke, baby!

  • the cynic

    Adam Morrison

  • http://www.dimemag.com Bufi

    Robert Horry

  • YC

    Have to go with alvin wiliams… That dude was a work horse til T.O screwed him over for good..

  • http://www.dimemag.com Austin Burton

    Sweeney, I was cool with you until you suggested that Anthony Anderson (maybe my least-favorite actor) play the role of Z-Bo. We’re done, son. I’d rather see Michael Clarke Duncan play Z-Bo, but give me some time and I can think of a better lead.

    As for guys deserving a documentary, I think Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson (expand on the “30 for 30″ and tell his whole life story), Shaq, Stephen Jackson and Yao come to mind as interesting subjects.

  • Sean Sweeney

    haha Why the hate for AA??

  • Rich Richardson

    T-Mac

  • brain

    @ 20 …Agreed. T-Mac really needs a documentary. All the other recommendations are good too..

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