ESPN Debuts ''Chasing Basketball Heaven'' Podcast
| RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, July 22, 2025 | 3:25pm CT |
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 ''Chasing Basketball Heaven'' |
ESPN has launched a new six-episode installment in its 30 for 30 Podcast series, "Chasing Basketball Heaven," a deep and often strange journey through basketball history and the enigmatic life of Kansas-based stats pioneer Martin Manley.
Executive produced by Oscar-winning filmmaker Adam McKay and produced by Hyperobject Industries and Meadowlark Media, the series delves into Manley's groundbreaking ideas and his eventual disappearance - a mystery that still puzzles those who followed his work.
Manley, whose self-published book "Basketball Heaven" laid out radical ideas about basketball efficiency and the superiority of the 3-point shot, is credited with anticipating the analytics revolution that now shapes modern basketball. Though never a household name, his influence reverberates through today's game, where data-driven strategy has redefined how teams play - and, some argue, stripped the sport of its artistry.
In Chasing Basketball Heaven, journalists Nick Altschuller and Rich Levine travel across Kansas piecing together the puzzle of Manley's life. Along the way, they confront questions both curious and haunting: What drove his obsession with Pepsi? Why his fixation on James Taylor? And most of all, why did he vanish in 2013, leaving only a cryptic website and rumors of buried treasure?
The podcast features the voice of comedian and former ESPN anchor Craig Kilborn as Martin Manley, with commentary from legendary baseball statistician Bill James, ESPN analyst Kevin Pelton, and former NBA players Dale Ellis and Brian Taylor.
The podcast is available now on ESPN.com, the ESPN App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart, and other major podcast platforms.
