It’s not every day a sports documentary hits you right in the heart, but ESPN’s Heart of Pearl did just that. Aired as part of their Father’s Day special on June 15, the film gave fans a deeply emotional look into the life of Scott Pollard, beyond his big NBA personality and fierce rebounding skills. It gave the audience a walk-through of his heart transplant journey, but what really tugged at everyone’s emotions was the bond between Pollard and his former Kansas coach, Roy Williams. Turns out, Williams’s reason for recruiting Pollard was more personal than anyone expected.

Now, while most hoop fans remember Pollard for his wild hairstyles and gritty defense, not many knew what was fueling him behind the scenes. Losing his father at a young age left a permanent mark—and a lot of pain. “The real reason I was ever successful at basketball was because my dad died. My dad passing just sharpened everything inside me and made me angry. And I went bats — nuts,” Pollard revealed in the film. That same emotional moment became the reason that united Williams and Pollard.

In fact, the first time Roy Williams sat down with him, he instantly felt something different. “The first time I went in to sit down and actually visit with him, and here was this happy-go-lucky kid who had recently lost his father, and I felt like that I wanted to be his coach,” Williams said during an ESPN documentary clip. But it wasn’t just sympathy—it was about values.

“I wanted kids who cared, I wanted kids who would make it darn near the most important thing in their lives… I said, I will never take the place of your dad, but if you give me a chance, I think you’ll be able to trust me like a second father.”

In the clip, Pollard revealed he wanted Roy Williams’ help. And Coach Williams beamed with pride, talking about Pollard’s growth. “I thought this kid is perfect for me because I like to laugh, but I like to win… Oh! There’s Pollard! Wow! People don’t believe in this in big guys, but he’s one of the smartest players I ever coached.”

And just like that, what started as a college recruitment turned into something much deeper—a coach who needed a kid like Pollard, and a kid who needed someone to believe in him.

‘Heart of Pearl’ documentary follows Scott Pollard’s journey

So when Scott Pollard sat in a room full of people watching his life unfold on the big screen, his reaction wasn’t what you’d expect from a 6-foot-11 former NBA player. “Like I’m naked,” he admitted during a June 7 panel at Flix Brewhouse in Carmel, right after the screening. “I knew it was going to be emotional.” Heart of Pearl, the ESPN E60 documentary, peeled back the layers—not just of his heart transplant in 2024—but of the loss that changed his life at 16, when his father, Pearl Pollard, died waiting on a transplant himself. Coincidentally, Pollard’s son, Ozzy, was also 16 when Scott got his new heart.

Naturally, fans had no idea what Pollard had been carrying—physically and emotionally. He wasn’t posting hospital pics or dropping hints. But eventually, the questions became too much. “ESPN saw it on social media, and they contacted my agent, Mrs. Pollard,” he said, giving credit to his wife, Dawn. “They said, ‘Would you do an E60 with us?’ And I said, ‘Absolutely not.’”

Still, things changed when director Dan Lindberg entered the picture. “The only way to tell a story is to tell a whole story,” Pollard said, and that’s exactly what happened. He even let ESPN film his surgery. Right before the operation, nerves kicked in. “I started freaking out. I might not be awake ever again,” he shared. “They gave me some happy juice, and I said some stuff. I say stuff normally, but this was on camera.”

Still, nothing hits harder than what Pollard said last: “Every accomplishment my kids do now that I get to see is the greatest day in my life.”