‘Basketball County: In the Water’ Explores Maryland’s Sports Legacy (VIDEO)

Rick and Christina Gables May 13, 2020, 6:30 pm

SHOWTIME BASKETBALL COUNTY IN THE WATER LEN BIAS — THIRTY FIVE VENTURES/Courtesy of SHOWTIME

Basketball County: In the Water explores how one county in Maryland has recently produced more elite basketball players than anywhere else in the world. The documentary film premieres Friday, May 15 on Showtime.

This is a fascinating examination of a remarkable community, telling the story of Prince George’s County, Md., and its social, economic and cultural evolution through the lens of some of the game’s biggest stars—Kevin Durant, Victor Oladipo, Michael Beasley, Quinn Cook, Rebekkah Brunson, Marissa Coleman and many more.

SHOWTIME BASKETBALL COUNTY IN THE WATER KARL MALONE

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Since 2000, the county just outside the nation’s capital has spawned some 25 NBA players, more than a dozen WNBA players, and countless more who have competed at elite universities, highlighting the decades-long prevalence of basketball within a region of roughly 800,000 residents.

Basketball County: In The Water chronicles key moments in basketball’s history – from James Naismith’s invention to the emergence of the “Father of Black Basketball,” Edwin B. Henderson, and the migration of African-American families from Washington D.C. to a suburban county that became fertile ground for many of basketball’s best players.

SHOWTIME BASKETBALL COUNTY IN THE WATER YOUTH

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Legends of the game including 2017 No. 1 NBA draft pick Markelle Fultz, five-time WNBA champion Rebekkah Brunson and Naismith Hall of Fame inductees Morgan Wootten and Adrian Dantley share their personal stories about the rich legacy of the county’s basketball programs and mentors that fueled their rise.