LOS ANGELES
By all rights, Nick Young wasn’t supposed to be a college basketball star. He flunked out of two high schools. His oldest brother died in a drive-by shooting. Now, the Southern California player is set to be chosen in this week’s NBA draft and earn millions of dollars.
His struggle is portrayed in “Second Chance Season.” The documentary debuted last week at the Los Angeles Film Festival, where a third screening is scheduled for Sunday.
“Every now and then, a kind of special story picks me,” said Daniel H. Forer, the director and co-producer. “It was an absolutely remarkable journey.”
Forer discovered Young, one of the city’s most heralded prep stars, in early 2003 while working on a cable pilot about basketball. Intrigued by his background, Forer followed Young’s multiple appeals with the Los Angeles Unified School District to get back into high school. Days before his senior year was to begin, Young was admitted to Cleveland High in suburban Reseda.
“I’m not the smartest person, but sit down and work with me,” Young says on camera. “I know what to do.”
The film follows Young’s attempts to score at least 800 on the SAT exam to earn a basketball scholarship to USC, a private school with hefty tuition.
