Some of the greatest achievements in sports and music are the product of the same phenomenon––finding your flow. That is the motivating idea behind a new ESPN Film, from the mind of Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, titled “Rhythm Masters.”

Hart interviewed numerous athletes and coaches from different sports, from Phil Jackson and Laila Ali, to Marshawn Lynch and Joe Montana. The result is an exploration of the common threads between top level athletes and musical artists. 

Our own Wright Thompson worked with Hart on the film. In advance of its premiere tonight on ESPN, he takes us inside the production team’s artistic process, explains Bill Walton’s influence on the project, and examines the often overlooked role that creativity plays in athletic greatness.

For more on Bill Walton and the Grateful Dead, check out our 2021 conversation with the man himself.

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