Behind the Pages

What happens when ESPN The Magazine asks three illustrators to bring to life three original screenplays for this issue? Lots of planning. Lots of sketching. And lots of staring at pictures of GOATs.

Jamie Coe on capturing Serena Williams and the GOATs: It can be really challenging to make the greatest athletes of all time look accurate! I started by sketching small, to get the concept working and to run through ideas quickly before fully committing. That was key.

Alexander Wells on drawing Space Jam without drawing Space Jam: Due to copyright issues, I couldn't actually draw anything Looney Tunes-related. The entire time I fought the urge to not draw Bugs Bunny. So I improvised by using the film's bold original colors and aesthetics.

Rafa Alvarez on illustrating his way through life events and Lakers drama: I got married between the rough sketches and the final illustrations. I had to ask for an extension to finish the illos because my wife and I decided our first vows would be to not work that week!

Senior writer Sam Alipour talks to screenwriter David Kohan about creating "All the King's Toons" for this issue.

Sam Alipour: Before you wrote this screenplay for The Mag, we hopped on a call and had a brainstorming session- just like we've done in the past. On a scale of 1 to 10, how useful are these sessions when we come up with things?

David Kohan: So the lowest I can go is 1, right? [Laughing] But actually, I think they are really helpful and fun. I love your engagement and enthusiasm. I'll go with 9.

What keeps you coming back for more? What do you enjoy about this screenwriter series that we do?

You haven't lost my phone number yet! [Laughing] I mean, I love it. The truth of the matter is that I like what I do: writing comedy television shows. But I love basketball and I love sports. And to me, it's something I will always be deeply invested in no matter what. And the opportunity to fuse the two is completely irresistible.

What sparked your interest to take on this particular screenplay?

Over the years, there's been a real arc to my Los Angeles fandom. The first part of my life was defined principally by Lakers fanaticism. It comprised an important part of my identity. Then, once Kobe joined the team, there was a gradual decay of my love for the Lakers. During that time, I was a season-ticket holder for the Clippers, and I became a Clippers fanatic. I became a Lakers hater over the course of, say, 16 years. So to be able to write something about a disastrous Lakers team is really more than I could've hoped for.

There's always a lot going on in the NBA, especially right now. What team would you want to write about next?

It has to be the Knicks, right? I mean, as like an Eeyore character. The Knicks are the most pathetic team.

-- E:60 producer Tonya Malinowski on what struck her the most while reporting in an area called No Man's Land on the border in Brownsville, Texas.

-- Number of miles traveled by Mike "Brolylegs" Begum since January for the sole purpose of Street Fighter competitions.

Source: Espn.com

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Keywords:

ESPN The Magazine • Image • Serena Williams • Alexander Wells (California) • Space Jam • Space Jam • Copyright • Looney Tunes • Bugs Bunny • Aesthetics • Screenwriter • David Kohan • Brainstorming • David Kohan • Screenwriter • Love & Basketball • Los Angeles • Science fiction fandom • Fanaticism • Kobe Bryant • Los Angeles Lakers • Los Angeles Lakers • Los Angeles Lakers • National Basketball Association • Eeyore • Oklahoma Panhandle • Brownsville, Texas • Street Fighter (1994 film) •