Sports documentaries aren’t new concepts, but it does feel like they’ve become more prominent over the past several years. Since the 2020s began, the public has been treated to compelling programming like The Last Dance, Man in the Arena, Break Point and Welcome to Wrexham. And there are more productions on the way, one of which comes from the mind of Gary Payton. The NBA veteran is working on a docuseries called Trash Talk, which has now taken a major step forward. Payton’s productions has tapped a director in the form of an action movie veteran, which makes me think this show is going to get wild.
Trash Talk, which is set up at MindRiot Entertainment, has officially landed Scott Waugh as its director. The filmmaker has a few notable credits under his belt, but they don’t exactly involve sports. Waugh notably helmed the military action film Act of Valor, video game adaptation Need for Speed and the adventure film Hidden Strike, which starred Jackie Chan and John Cena. Waugh’s most recent big-screen venture was the critically maligned Expend4bles, the fourth installment in the Expendables franchise.
I have to say I’m incredibly intrigued by this choice. Typically, when it comes to a docuseries, producers tend to seek out documentarians. So why would the team for this production seek hire someone who’s mostly worked within the blockbuster sphere? It’s hard to say right now, considering the few details we have on the upcoming show right now. One might be tempted to assume, though, that viewers are in for something truly “explosive.” And that would track for a former player like Gary Payton, who not only was an incredible player but also a bombastic trash-talker. While it’s an unorthodox choice on paper, I’m not mad at this hiring, which, if anything, just makes me more intrigued.
Production is set to get underway very soon, as Deadline reports that filming kicks off in Nashville, Tennessee this coming Thursday. During that time, the Seattle SuperSonics legend will be attending the AMA Supercross Championship. MindRiot founder Jonathan Keasey and Steven Banks Jr., the brand’s Head of Sports Content, told the trade that they developed the idea for this “comedic and educational” show during the WGA strike. Described as a “crossover between sports and culture,” Randa Minkarah – MindRiot’s COO – also said via a statement that audiences:
…will get to see Payton aka ‘The Glove’ — whose legendary athletic grit and tongue was showcased on Netflix’s The Last Dance – talk trash while on horseback with rodeo cowboys, fly fishing with producer John Dietsch, and maybe even go head to head selling cookies with a bad-ass troupe of kids.
Gary Payton’s appearance on The Last Dance (a series that upset Scottie Pippen) was arguably one of the standout moments from the 10-part series. During his appearance, he recalled the SuperSonics facing off against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1996 NBA Finals, which saw the latter team emerging victorious. This segment of the doc went viral, as Jordan notably laughed at footage of Payton, during which he claimed he gave His Airness a tough time on the court. The Glove took that in stride, later saying that the reaction boiled down to Jordan’s competitive nature.
The nine-time NBA All-Star was relatively tame when he showed up on the Bulls documentary series, but it seems he’ll be a lot more vivacious on his own show. We’ll have to wait and see what he and Scott Waugh are cooking up. I can’t even imagine what this will all look like when it’s done but, who knows, maybe the athlete and director will prove to be a match made in documentary heaven.
As you wait for further updates on Trash Talk, grab a Netflix subscription and stream The Last Dance. You may also want to keep an eye on the 2024 TV schedule, on the off chance that Gary Payton’s show debuts later this year.
