Pass The Rock
The 6th Annual Awards
- Best Original Film or Series: Long-Form
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
For over a decade basketball icons LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have ruled the courts of the NBA. But now there is a new generation of elite talent poised to seize the NBA crown. Young stars like Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have quickly and confidently established themselves as heirs to the NBA throne.
To spotlight this next generation of superstars, NBA Originals created the new docuseries Pass The Rock for the NBA App. By combining singular, off-the-court access with the NBA’s deep footage archive, the series reveals each player’s unique human story—his motivations, inspirations, past challenges, and dreams yet to achieve.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
Pass the Rock was one of the first 16x9 series at the NBA that leveraged vertical promotional tactics to drive consumption of full episodes. Exclusive vertical clips from each episode were shared across social and digital platforms with a direct link to the full episode.
Several vertical clips resulted in viral moments, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander breaking down his style, Luka filming a Dude Perfect trick shot, and Jayson Tatum’s son Deuce sharing his basketball knowledge with his dad from his car seat.
Additionally, the evergreen nature of the content captured offers flexibility in how the episodes can be resurfaced. It can be tied to a player’s performance, a key off-court storyline or a key date that arises.
Objective
What makes this series truly stand out from others is the rare and vulnerable accounts each player shares—the mental toll of public scrutiny (Zion Williamson), the self-doubt after a career-threatening injury (Jamal Murray) and the pressure of becoming a young father just days before the NBA Draft (Jayson Tatum). These and other personal narratives were explored to full effect in Pass The Rock’s inaugural 10-episode season.
As a series, Pass The Rock is structured around an inventive format – each episode plays as a mini-biography; first combining intimate verité scenes with exclusive basketball access to reveal the player’s human side. Then, at the culmination of each show, the filmmakers cover a 360-degree view of a specific NBA game, giving viewers a complete picture of the player’s singular journey and day-to-day experience.
Strategy & Execution
Fans want to get to know their favorite players away from basketball. They want to know what players do in their downtime, see their families and understand who they are as humans. Focusing on the next generation of players, Pass the Rock provided just that for NBA fans.
Players granted cameras exclusive and extensive access to their everyday lives- going to the coffee shop with De’Aaron Fox and his family, taking Deuce Tatum to basketball practice with his dad, Jayson, and traveling the world with Jaylen Brown were all fundamental focuses of each episode. This level of insight gave us an opportunity to embrace incredible storytelling and show fans an inside look at NBA life.
Organizations
- NBA
- Blue Ox Films
Links
Featured
- Zion Williamson
- Jaylen Brown
- Jamal Murray
- Trae Young
- Luka Doncic
- Jayson Tatum
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Scottie Barnes
- Donovon Mitchell
- De'Aaron Fox
- Jaren Jackson Jr.
- Anthony Edwards
- Paolo Banchero
- Tyrese Haliburton
- Jalen Brunson
- Tyrese Maxey
- Chet Holmgrem
- Victor Wembanyama
Credits
Michael Tolajian
Showrunner/Director
NBA
Gregg Winik
Executive Producer
NBA
Andrew Yaffe
Executive Producer
NBA
Dion Cocoros
Executive Producer
NBA
Taylor Kavanaugh
Executive Producer
Blue Ox Films
Matt Wilcox
Director
Blue Ox Films
Neil Peterson
Director
Blue Ox Films
Paul Hirschheimer
Producer
NBA
Peter Ginsburg
Producer
NBA
Robby Kolanz
Producer
Blue Ox Films
Michael Levine
Producer
NBA
Sarah Ammons
Associate Producer
Blue Ox Films
Saylor Siegner
Associate Producer
Blue Ox Films
Tay Ross
Associate Producer
Blue Ox Films
Cory Weiss
Associate Producer
NBA
Michael Lavitol
Associate Producer
NBA
Kerry Caiafa
Associate Producer
NBA
Annette Ricciuti
Associate Producer
NBA
Brittany Landau
Associate Producer
NBA
Rob Sario
Associate Producer
NBA
Amber Tudor
Associate Producer
NBA
David Thomas
Associate Producer
NBA
Brian Boehler
Associate Producer
NBA
Ryan Cain
Associate Producer
NBA
Matt Kelly
Associate Producer
NBA
John Marion
Associate Producer
NBA
Adam Mory
Associate Producer
NBA
Amanda Dwyer
Associate Producer
NBA
Peter Richter
Associate Producer
NBA
Justin Peterson
Associate Producer
NBA
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
