This summer, one of basketball’s biggest names Kevin Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets. But he probably won’t play this season, as he is still recovering from a torn Achilles. Even so, don’t expect Durant to be out of the public eye. He will still be visible, via The Boardroom. It is a serialized round-table discussion where athletes talk about a range of topics.
The Boardroom is among Durant’s many off-the-court ventures. The former MVP just signed a $164 million contract with the Nets, the latest of a series of big-money deals he has signed. It is for 4 years, with a player option in 2022. Durant is famous for being one of the biggest earners in all of sports, routinely commanding over $20 million a year in salary alone. He also has endorsement deals with companies such as Nike. The newly minted Net has leveraged his earning power well, investing in a host of off-the-court businesses. Most notably he co-founded Thirty Five Ventures, which aired the six-episode special The Boardroom earlier this year.
Among the things The Boardroom Season 1 covered were sneakers (Episode 1), team ownership (Episode 2), social media (Episode 3), player development (Episode 4), and athletes and their brands (Episodes 5 and 6). The show was surprisingly entertaining, and refreshing, as athletes like Durant freely shared their thoughts. Given The Boardroom’s success, Durant and ESPN+ have announced a second season, to begin early this year. That being said, it is fair to wonder what’s in store for the series moving forward.
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Z_Ldhi97U
Talking about KD
The bet here is that Episode 1 of Season 2 will revolve around Durant. He will probably use The Boardroom as a platform to discuss in detail his time with the Golden State Warriors, his injury, his decision to join the Nets, and his love-hate relationship with the media. Durant has already addressed these issues somewhat, mostly in a wide-ranging interview with Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes. In it, Durant admitted to finding the Nets’ culture “appealing,” which ultimately lured him to Brooklyn. He also denied, categorically, that the Warriors mishandled his injury. Then again Durant has been known to blow hot and cold. Between now and the year’s end he might want to add a few more juicy details to the already juicy Kevin Durant narrative. He might even give some hot takes on other sports-related issues, like the apparent disrespect shown by Team USA’s Megan Rapinoe towards the president. Whatever Durant has to say The Boardroom will be a great platform for topical discussions.
The NBA “circus”
In an in-depth sit-down with the Wall Street Journal Magazine, Durant confessed to hating the NBA sometimes. “Some days I hate the circus of the NBA,” Durant explained. “Some days I hate that the players let the NBA business, the fame that comes with the business, alter their minds about the game. Sometimes I don’t like being around the executives and politics that come with it. I hate that.” Such admission is revealing, as it offers insight into the mind of an all-time great basketball player. It is also a compelling point of discussion, one that would fit perfectly with The Boardroom’s premise.
Obviously, everything is purely speculative at this point. What is for certain, however, is that Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman will strive to make The Boardroom’s second season a lot better than the first. That alone makes the show something to look forward to.
Article specially written for shorenewsnetwork.com By Maggie Cage