OT: 30 for 30 on Benjamin Wilson

[swish7]

Did anyone watch the ESPN 30 for 30 episode on Benjamin Wilson? I had never heard his story.

It is the story of a HS basketball phenom whom rose from nothing to national prominence, only to be gunned down by a gang member 1/2 a block from his HS. Imagine if a Billy Owens or a LeBron James were to be gunned down at the beginning of their HS Sr campaign. That is this kid's story.

The story has an Ernie Davis angle to it. Seemingly nice kid. Died too young. Promise unfulfilled. His mother seems like a very strong woman. She used her son's death to try to clean up the streets in Chicago. I think her efforts helped get some gun control laws put in place (controls which have since been removed).

I'm not sure how much I believe the story of the the guy who gunned him down.

 

[Marsh01]

Did anyone watch the ESPN 30 for 30 episode on Benjamin Wilson? I had never heard his story.

It is the story of a HS basketball phenom whom rose from nothing to national prominence, only to be gunned down by a gang member 1/2 a block from his HS. Imagine if a Billy Owens or a LeBron James were to be gunned down at the beginning of their HS Sr campaign. That is this kid's story.

The story has an Ernie Davis angle to it. Seemingly nice kid. Died too young. Promise unfulfilled. His mother seems like a very strong woman. She used her son's death to try to clean up the streets in Chicago. I think her efforts helped get some gun control laws put in place (controls which have since been removed).

I'm not sure how much I believe the story of the the guy who gunned him down.

It was really good. I remember him well and he would have been an absolute stud in college.

Yea the guy who gunned him down was a little sketchy.

 

[jgeorge322]

this one is old. i think it came out a couple of years ago. but definitely one of the best 30 for 30s. benji went to simien, same high school as jabari parker.

 

[swish7]

this one is old. i think it came out a couple of years ago. but definitely one of the best 30 for 30s. benji went to simien, same high school as jabari parker.

OK, thanks. I saw it last night, right after ESPN played an ACC special, a special which focused a lot on Syracuse and Duke. I didn't know whether it was new or old. Thanks for letting me know.

Per the special, Derrick Rose went to Simeon as well. They didn't mention the Hoop Dreams kid.

 

[heresjohnny88]

We hate on ESPN a lot here...but those 30 for 30 films are mostly tremendous. Kudos to ESPN (mostly Bill Simmons) for recognizing a need for quality sports docs, spending the $ on the right filmmakers, and continuing with the project after the original 30 films aired.

 

[jgeorge322]

OK, thanks. I saw it last night, right after ESPN played an ACC special, a special which focused a lot on Syracuse and Duke. I didn't know whether it was new or old. Thanks for letting me know.

Per the special, Derrick Rose went to Simeon as well. They didn't mention the Hoop Dreams kid.

how was the ACC special? i missed that.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Yeah I missed the ACC thing too. Will have to look for a replay. Would this type of thing be replayable on ESPN3?

 

[swish7]

how was the ACC special? i missed that.

It was very good. In summary:

• It started with a bunch of snippets from around the ACC of coaches coaching a practice. This featured the BC guy, the VT guy, etc. None of this featured Boeheim
• After a commercial, it focused on Syracuse and Duke. They were really selling it as a rivalry. Which, is awesome. There were two segments, one for Syracuse, and after another commercial break, one for Duke.
• The Syracuse segment led off with BMK walking ESPN around the Syracuse campus. He did this prior to the Duke game. It could have been stuff aired on gameday, I don't know. BMK came across as a true ambassador to the university. He showed off the Hall of Languages; Newhouse; he got lunch at Shine; he high-fived, and hugged a bunch of the workers at Shine; they treated him like he was their son, and he treated them like they were his extended mothers. He really seems like a nice kid. He then showed off the Ernie Davis statue, and talked a little about Ernie's story. It then shifted over to Boeheim visiting Boeheimburg. Boeheim was conversing with the frozen students there, and quipped about how it was a warm day for them, and thanking them for their support. He seemed to enjoy that conversation, until the students seemed to want to drag it out too long, then he got bored and left.
• At some point, they showed snippets from a Syracuse practice. I know I had seen some of those segments before. JB was getting on somebody for doing something with a tone that would make your toes curl. Then he gets all Mary Poppins with someone else teaching the finer points of the zone.
• Then it showed snippets and various big shots from the game.
• After a break, the did a similar thing for Duke. It was led by one of the Duke stars. He was very well spoken. It was interesting to see their amenities, and their version of the Carmelo center. Things that stood out to me, they have a section of their home court from the 2001 national championship, in a special hallway on the way into the Cameron Indoor. They basically walk through a Duke museum on their way to the court. They had a special area reserved for national defensive players of the year. As a point of team emphasis, and giving young players something to look up to, it was great.

It was a good show.

 

[OGBJ20]

That happened during my school years and still to this day, I am very sad to the point that it brings tears to my eyes. Very sad, indeed!!!

 

[jgeorge322]

swish, ive seen a lot of those clips but it sounds more in depth. maybe used some of the B roll. im going to try and see if it is on espn3. thanks for the recap.

 

[Briancuse]

We hate on ESPN a lot here...but those 30 for 30 films are mostly tremendous. Kudos to ESPN (mostly Bill Simmons) for recognizing a need for quality sports docs, spending the $ on the right filmmakers, and continuing with the project after the original 30 films aired.

They really are, I watched the nc state survive and advance one the other day, very well done. I only planned to watch it for a few minutes, wound up watching the entire two hours.

 

[shandeezy7]

We hate on ESPN a lot here...but those 30 for 30 films are mostly tremendous. Kudos to ESPN (mostly Bill Simmons) for recognizing a need for quality sports docs, spending the $ on the right filmmakers, and continuing with the project after the original 30 films aired.

Does ESPN fund all of these 30 for 30 docs or do they fund some and then just purchase the rights to others that are already made?

 

[UnderHisOwnPower]

Did anyone watch the ESPN 30 for 30 episode on Benjamin Wilson? I had never heard his story.

It is the story of a HS basketball phenom whom rose from nothing to national prominence, only to be gunned down by a gang member 1/2 a block from his HS. Imagine if a Billy Owens or a LeBron James were to be gunned down at the beginning of their HS Sr campaign. That is this kid's story.

The story has an Ernie Davis angle to it. Seemingly nice kid. Died too young. Promise unfulfilled. His mother seems like a very strong woman. She used her son's death to try to clean up the streets in Chicago. I think her efforts helped get some gun control laws put in place (controls which have since been removed).

I'm not sure how much I believe the story of the the guy who gunned him down.

Yea, it was really great. I didn't realize all of that either. The mother was extremely impressive. "It's not how long you live, but how well you live." His death led to changes in the policy of where ambulances take severe cases. They are now required in Chicago to find the nearest trauma unit, not just any open hospital. It didn't sound like he had to die at all from the gun shots, just really poor treatment once admitted, that sux. I thought the shooter was sincere, unlike his partner who was arrested again after getting out years later. The shooter showed remorse to me and never meant to kill him. Just a really sad and tragic accidental killing. Nick Anderson and Juwan wore his #25 in tribute, too bad we never got to see him play again.

 

[PeteCalvin]

this one is old. i think it came out a couple of years ago. but definitely one of the best 30 for 30s. benji went to simien, same high school as jabari parker.

Jabari paid homage to Benji by writing his number on his shoes, or something like that. He was the only other #1 overall prospect to come out of that HS. The parallels between the two kids were uncanny. Very sad story. I remember when that happened. I think I still have the Street & Smith mag in the basement that had him ranked #1.

 

[EastCoast2]

Jabari paid homage to Benji by writing his number on his shoes, or something like that. He was the only other #1 overall prospect to come out of that HS. The parallels between the two kids were uncanny. Very sad story. I remember when that happened. I think I still have the Street & Smith mag in the basement that had him ranked #1.

Derrick Rose played at Simien also, right? Don't think he was #1 player but top 10 IIRC

 

[RF2044]

Yeah, Swish--this was a really good one.

Captivating. And as a devout "recruitnik," I remember all of this going down very well.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Did anyone watch the ESPN 30 for 30 episode on Benjamin Wilson? I had never heard his story.

It is the story of a HS basketball phenom whom rose from nothing to national prominence, only to be gunned down by a gang member 1/2 a block from his HS. Imagine if a Billy Owens or a LeBron James were to be gunned down at the beginning of their HS Sr campaign. That is this kid's story.

The story has an Ernie Davis angle to it. Seemingly nice kid. Died too young. Promise unfulfilled. His mother seems like a very strong woman. She used her son's death to try to clean up the streets in Chicago. I think her efforts helped get some gun control laws put in place (controls which have since been removed).

I'm not sure how much I believe the story of the the guy who gunned him down.

"The Two Pablo's" was the first one I ever saw. It was great. I have never been disappointed by one of them.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Derrick Rose played at Simien also, right? Don't think he was #1 player but top 10 IIRC

Yes, Rose went there. But Parker was like the second coming of Wilson. And the history was never lost on him. Wilson won the school their first state title as a junior, and the tournament was his coming out party of sorts. It was that following summer that he hit #1. Parker led the school to back to backs as a junior and senior, I believe.