ESPN+ has taken us behind the scenes of our favorite sports and given us a peek into the lives of coaches, general managers, athletic directors and of course, athletes. The new series NBA Rooks gives us a look at what it’s like to be a rookie in the NBA as they make their way into the league, from the NBA Draft Lottery through the 2019-2020 season.
The latest episode, titled “Home Away From Home,” gives us a look at the players as they adjust to life in the cities of their respective new teams and prepare for their upcoming rookie seasons.
I won’t get into the concept of this overall series too much in this review (you can see that here), but rather focus on this individual episode.
“Home Away From Home” is a fun addition to the series as it not only allows us to see the players adjusting to their new lives, but also gives us a quick look at some of the cities they’re moving to, like New York, Chicago and Denver. It’s always fun seeing the amazing new homes athletes can find in these beautiful cities.
Watching players like this on TV, it’s easy to forget just how young they are. However, when you watch them prepare their first homes after moving out of their parents’ houses, you’re quickly reminded. RJ Barrett’s Target shopping trip is just one of those moments that remind you that these are 19 to 22-year-old kids preparing for life on their own for the first time. Granted, they’re doing so with a lot more resources than most, but it’s still entertaining to watch.
One thing this episode didn’t feature a lot of was basketball. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing though. We get a quick glimpse of the preseason in the beginning of the episode, but the lack of games being played in this episode shows just how much other work goes into being an NBA rookie.
Most of the episode is comprised of media interviews, photoshoots and whatever other obligations the players may have. The only time we see most of the players touch a ball is when the photo they’re taking requires it.
With that being said, I am definitely looking forward to seeing these players on an NBA court. Even more so now that I’ve gotten this behind-the-scenes look at all of the work they’re putting in. It’s fun to see them setting up for their lives as professional athletes, but it will be even more fun to see what they can do when the games begin. With the NBA preseason going on right now and the start of the regular season just around the corner, NBA Rooks is about to get even more interesting.
The first five episodes of NBA Rooks are available now on ESPN+. Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.