The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of a Pro-Ball Legend Director Daniel May delves into the dark side of Lloyd 'Swee' Pea' Daniels
Written by Tomas Salazar
The Legend of Swee’ Pea follows former NBA player Lloyd “Swee’ Pea” Daniels from the beginning of his career until today. He began at the top and constantly fought between a great talent and a profound drug addiction, which made Lloyd move from the top to rock bottom several times.
“The first thing that attracted me to Lloyd’s story was that he was a phenomenal basketball player, he was a prodigy, but nobody got to see him play in his prime in high school, what made him a legend,” Director Benjamin May said following the DOC NYC screening. “When he went to the NBA he was 60% of what he used to be.”
While some might be skeptical of that claim, as the narrative of great players who never made it pro is all-too-familiar among sports fans, May’s interviews with two-time NBA champion David Robinson and New York Knicks player Carmelo Anthony’s role as executive producer of the film gives Lloyd’s story a credible legitimacy that most other pro-ball tall-tales lack.
May doesn’t shy away from showing Swee’ Pea’s dark side in his film, and reveals an ordinariness to Lloyd that, despite his incredible talent, makes him a relatable character. However, the empathy we feel, as an audience, has nothing to do with basketball, or with Lloyd’s skills. It comes from real life – from the story of a kid who was surrounded by a lot of people, but still felt completely alone.
“Everyday I wake up it’s a struggle,” Lloyd said at the premiere of the documentary, which was also the first time he had seen the film. “I really enjoyed, I’m proud of you, Lloyd,” the Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker, also present in the theater, said.
While Lloyd’s own basketball career is over, he spends his time now coaching young kids. When a member of the audience asked him about his coaching philosophy, he explained that, unlike some of his colleagues, his players have to get good grades in order to play. In closing, he reflected on the role of the coach, and that he now realizes how important that role is, and how crucial it could have been for him. For many kids, a coach can be a mentor, and now he gets the change to be the kind of positive influence and inspiration he never had.
Tomás Salazar is a recent graduate of the New York Film Academy. Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tomás is a screenwriter and documentary-lover. You can learn more about him and his work here.
