For a guy like Shaqir O’Neal, who just played his final college season, having it all documented was special.
“It was a blessing that they chose us to be on here,” O’Neal said. “It’s a great way to go out.”
The producer and players alike detailed the brotherhood that formed throughout the season and filming process. Putmon instantly was welcomed into the family.
“We wouldn’t even call him a director; that’s a friend and a brother to us,” Johnson said of Putmon. “We love him to death, for sure. With him, we could be ourselves.”
Bibby added: “He’s easy to work with and talk to. He did a great job.”
Sacramento State men’s basketball team players and staff with director Dontae Putmon, fourth from left.(Alicia Espinoza / Sacramento State Athletics)
As Bibby looks to strengthen Sac State basketball culture and build off of a less-than-ideal inaugural 10-21 season, he and his staff hope the film expands their profile.
Trying to improve his roster for next season, the team’s first in the Big West Conference, Bibby hopes the docuseries helps further his main objective leading the Hornets.
“I think it will help. It’s definitely a recruiting tool for us,” Bibby said during the panel. “We need all the help we can get. We’ve never made the [NCAA Division I] Tournament and that’s our goal.”
The rest of the series will air Fridays on Roku TV and Saturdays on Overtime’s YouTube channel over the next six weeks. It could very well serve as a valuable marketing tool for Sac State athletics, which has been heavily invested into by university President Dr. Luke Wood.
“He’s doing a great job of trying to push [athletics] where it needs to be to make us a top-notch school,” Bibby said. “It’s gonna trickle all the way down. All we have to do is follow him.”