30 for 30: ESPN announces ‘I Hate Christian Laettner’ documentary
Christian Laettner is arguably the most hated player in the history of college basketball. North Carolina fans hate him. Kentucky fans hate him, UNLV fans hate him, and just about everyone else who was a fan of college basketball hates him.
The star of Duke’s 1991 and 1992 national championship teams is both one of the greatest players in college basketball history and one of the most polarizing. In short, he is the perfect subject for a ’30 for 30′ documentary.
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On Tuesday, ESPN announced that 1992 National Player of the Year will be the subject of a upcoming ’30 for 30′ film titled “I Hate Christian Laetnner,” which will debut following the NCAA tournament selection show at 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 15. From the official ESPN release:
He made perhaps the most dramatic shot in the history of the NCAA basketball tournament. He’s the only player to start in four consecutive Final Fours, and was instrumental in Duke winning two national championships. He had looks, smarts and game. So why has Christian Laettner been disliked so intensely by so many for so long? Maybe it was the time he stomped on the chest of a downed player, or the battles he had with his teammates, or a perceived sense of entitlement. But sometimes, perception isn’t reality.
“I Hate Christian Laettner” will go beyond the polarizing persona to reveal the complete story behind this lightning rod of college basketball. Featuring extensive access to Laettner, previously unseen footage and perspectives from all sides, this film will be a “gloves-off” examination of the man who has been seen by many as the “Blue Devil Himself.”
This will be the fourth ’30 for 30′ documentary to follow the Bracketology show on Selection Sunday. The previous three: “The Fab Five” (2011), “Survive and Advance” (2013), and “Requiem for the Big East” (2014), all garnered critical acclaim and strong ratings. With many fans still harboring hatred towards Laettner some 23 years after “The Shot”, there is no doubt that this film will continue the trend.
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