Debuting as part of the 2025 Netflix schedule this week is Court of Gold, a six-part docuseries that tracks the exploits of four men’s basketball teams at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Jake Rogal skillfully directed the show, for which he and his crew had “full access” to the players and coaches. Because of that, the production includes some excellent scenes, including a particularly moving segment involving Kevin Durant. Rogal spoke to CinemaBlend about that scene, and I was amazed to learn the question that initiated it.
Near the end of the doc’s second episode, Kevin Durant discusses why the Summer Olympics are so special to him. The two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP opens up about the significance of so many people from different countries coming together to root on their teams and support the game of basketball. Durant gets choked up when discussing his personal background as well the negativity that grips our society. In short, the 15-time All-Star is in awe of so many people uniting in the name of positivity and athletics.
That portion of the episode stuck with me after I watched it, in great part due to the fact that 36-year-old KD hails from Prince George’s County, Maryland as I do. When I spoke to Jake Rogal, I just had to ask him about filming this segment. As the director revealed, that portion of his chat with the former Texas Basketball phenom was a highlight for him as well. And, if you can believe it, the discussion was sparked by a question related to social media:
Kevin being emotional was one of my favorite parts of the whole process. I was asking him a question about Twitter and why he responds to certain people who don't have a big following. And I thought it was going to be a funny moment, and he turned it into his love for basketball and how much basketball means to him. And he uses Twitter as a platform to show people how amazing the sport is, and it gets misunderstood sometimes. And he went into an emotional reflection of what the sport means to him. And so he got himself there emotionally. I didn't even do much.
It’s crazy to think that one of the most emotional moments from the entire docuseries was prompted by a question that was assumed to elicit a funny response. As a fan, I truly understand just why Kevin Durant was so overcome. He’s proven that he truly loves the game of basketball and, while he’s found great success, he’s experienced both highs and lows. That includes facing backlash from Charles Barkley and other critics. During our chat, Jake Rogal shared his take on what the comments say about Durant:
I think it just speaks to how singularly focused he is on basketball, how much it means to him and, really, it makes up who he is. His entire life has been basketball. And so when someone is singularly focused like that, it comes out in all different kinds of ways. I think the sooner people realize that about Kevin, the more easily he's understood. And he's a great, great, great dude. And he is so smart and so emotional and understands feelings and all of that. And I think that moment, he was just appreciative of what basketball has done for him and it just hit him in that moment. The camera does that to people, too.
Jake Rogal has plenty of experience with overseeing documentary interviews, especially as far as athletes are concerned. Among his past credits is the acclaimed ESPN limited series The Last Dance (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription). The Chicago Bulls-centric doc features some truly passionate scenes, including a moment in which Michael Jordan gets real about the public’s perception of his competitive nature. The Phoenix Sun’s address on Court of Gold is just as visceral, and you can see a snippet of it below:
I’d certainly argue that Kevin Durant is one of the most interesting and multidimensional athletes in the NBA right now. His passion is palpable as is his drive, which is why he’s currently the leading scorer in the history of Team USA and is the only male athlete to earn four Olympic gold medals in basketball. He’s certainly an athlete worthy of a documentary that chronicles their entire career, and I believe such a production will happen someday. For now, though, I’m more than content watching his standout moments in what’s arguably one of the best Netflix shows available right now.
All episodes of Court of Gold are now streaming on Netflix. Fans interested in checking out even more basketball-centric fare can find documentaries and series like Starting 5, The Redeem Team and Bill Russell: Legend on the platform as well.
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