If “The Last Dance” continues its current trajectory, it could go down as one of the greatest documentaries in sports history.
No doubt, when it’s over, it will open the door for other film project topics like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or even the Golden State Warriors.
Or… maybe not. In a chat with USA TODAY, Warriors team owner explained why we should not expect his team to be featured in ESPN’s next great documentary.
Guber, the Warriors’ co-executive chairman and founder of Mandalay Entertainment, told USA TODAY Sports he had varying talks in recent years with business partner Mike Tollin, as well as with Warriors majority owner Joe Lacob, and Warriors president and chief operating officer Rick Welts about the idea. The Warriors decided against having a camera crew embedded with the Warriors as the Bulls allowed during the 1997-98 NBA season to capture their sixth NBA championship in eight years.
“Once you do that, you actually affect the outcome of other things,” Guber said. “Turning the camera on with an expectation that you’re going to get to a particular point with a sports team or career or something like that? It’s a dangerous business. It’s hubris.”
It is true that turning on the camera can have some nasty side effects. For one, it could capture something that the team (or an individual) doesn’t want publicized. The Warriors, especially last season, were dealing with some pretty personal stuff last season, including a very heated exchange between two of their best players.
Having cameras rolling can also serve as a major distraction to the team. And for an organization with title hopes, distractions are the last thing you’d want to bring.
In the end, it’s understandable why the Dubs wouldn’t want to have a camera crew following their every move. It’s just unfortunate that we’ll never get the chance to see the Warriors the way we’re seeing the Bulls right now.
