ESPN's 'Basketball: A Love Story' Documentary to Feature LeBron James, More

On Wednesday, ESPN announced details for a 10-part documentary entitled Basketball: A Love Story that will feature current superstars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Diana Taurasi as well as NBA legends like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell.

The series of 62 short stories covers 20 hours and will debut on the ESPN app starting Sept. 18. The entire documentary, which was created by director Dan Klores through the use of over 500 hours of interviews with basketball greats, will also air in five Tuesday installments on ESPN beginning Oct. 9.

Klores said in the release he first pitched the idea to the network more than a decade ago, and it has finally come to fruition.

"These are 'short stories' to which I think millions around the world can relate," he said. "The game, for me and others, has been an escape, a chance to pretend, feel safe, learn, love, lose and even despair.

"It has an obsessive quality to it, whether one is a player as great as [Michael] Jordan or LeBron, a fan, a park player, a team member—and to me, 'obsession' is a form of love, so in a real sense each of these stories touches upon that feeling."

Although the director mentions Jordan, MJ is one of the few basketball stalwarts not listed among the massive group of people interviewed for the project.

Along with those marquee names already mentioned, the interviewees include coaches Mike Krzyzewski and Steve Kerr, Hall of Famers Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson and those who could help shape the future of the sport, like Becky Hammon and Kristaps Porzingis, among countless others.

"With 'Basketball: A Love Story,' Dan Klores weaves together the threads of many current and historical elements in a way that has never been done before, and it brings people inside the game in a fascinating manner," ESPN executive vice president of content Connor Schell said.

In addition to the who's who of basketball history, the documentary also features numerous high-profile narrators, led by Chadwick Boseman, Julianne Moore and Kentucky Wildcats superfan Ashley Judd.