The new Netflix documentary series Starting 5 stars LeBron James, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler, Domantas Sabonis, and Jayson Tatum as they discuss both the private and professional effects of their careers as NBA players.
The show explores how the athletes manage to play 82 games while balancing their personal lives; it effectively highlights the players’ roles as fathers, showing the difference between their court personas and their lives as parents. The documentary features some surprising moments, such as how Domantas serves as a role model to younger kids by working hard and being involved in his community. Another thing that surprised me was how Jimmy Butler handled losing his father, which motivated him to be a better player and father to his own child. My eyes opened to how LeBron’s son, Bronny, suffered cardiac arrest and how much LeBron’s outlook on life changed as a result. Finally, Jayson’s actions and responsibility towards his son show his true character in contrast to how the media portrays him.
Netflix has released several successful athlete-focused documentaries, offering fans an inside look at the lives of top athletes and their dedication. The most notable, 2020’s Last Dance, is the perfect example of a basketball documentary that strikes the perfect balance of personal focus and insight. It explores how Michael Jordan and the other top players in the league approach their careers, showing their mindset and hard work that got them to be the best in the league.
Unfortunately, Starting 5 didn’t show us the same level of insight. The documentary missed an opportunity to explore how the players reached their positions and the hard work required to be the best. I think that if they had focused more on the paths to their success, the show could have been a hit. I expected Starting Five to focus on some of the top-performing athletes in the world, showcasing their performance and insights into their skills. Instead, the show chose to concentrate more on featuring players’ families and showing the activities they do together. In a sports documentary, I like to watch the players talk about the strategies that they use to become top players. I’m not as interested in long dialogue and clips about how much their family means to them.
In the end, though, Starting Five made me like players that I wasn’t a fan of before. Even though I would have rather watched a show that focused more on their athletic careers, the show did give me a new perspective on the players. However, since the show did get renewed for another season, viewers looking for personal stories rather than technical insights may find this to be the perfect show.