ESPN to air star-studded, 20-hour documentary 'Basketball: A Love Story'

ESPN unveiled one of its biggest documentary projects to date on Wednesday: A 20-hour, 10-part series called "Basketball: A Love Story."

Helmed by award-winning director Dan Klores, the series will consist of more than 60 "interconnected short stories" and feature 165 interviews with some of the game's most prominent figures, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Dr. J, Yao Ming, Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Bill Russell, and more.

The episodes will be narrated by Chadwick Boseman, Julianne Moore, Chris Cuomo, Ashley Judd, Michael Che, Ansel Elgort, Ahmad Rashad, Robin Quivers, Daveed Diggs, and Fisher Stevens.

"These are 'short stories' to which I think millions around the world can relate," Klores said.

"The game, for me and others, has been an escape, a chance to pretend, feel safe, learn, love, lose, and even despair. It has an obsessive quality to it, whether one is a player as great as Jordan or LeBron, a fan, a park player, a team member - and to me, 'obsession' is a form of love, so in a real sense each of these stories touches upon that feeling."

Each of the short stories will be available on the ESPN App on Sept. 18, with the full film airing on ESPN over five Tuesdays beginning Oct. 9 from 7-11 p.m.