Destination NBA: A G League Odyssey details life of G League players on their different paths to NBA, including Pacers guard Gabe York

AllPacers caught up with York to discuss the compelling documentary

The NBA G League is full of talent, and many of the players in it have a similar goal: they want to be on an NBA roster. A new documentary produced by Religion of Sports and Spotify's The Ringer aims to display the different paths and journeys some of those players are taking to achieve their dreams.

The documentary, which is titled 'Destination NBA: A G League Odyssey', was released on Prime Video on August 8. It follows a few G League players on their voyage to be in the NBA, and one such athlete is guard Gabe York. York, 30, has finished each of the last two professional seasons with the Indiana Pacers but has predominantly been with their G League affiliate team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

York's journey to the NBA has been lengthy. The California native spent four years at the University of Arizona before going undrafted in the 2016 draft. In the seven years since, he has played everywhere. Overseas, he has spent time with clubs in Italy, Germany, Greece, France, and Israel. Stateside, York played for multiple G League clubs and received Summer League and training camp invites with NBA teams, but he never stuck on a roster into the regular season.

His first chance was dramatically ripped away, too. York agreed to sign with the Orlando Magic on a hardship contract in December of 2021, but he tested positive for COVID-19 and never ended up with the team. His dream of reaching the NBA was put on hold.

At the time, York was playing for Fort Wayne, and he kept pushing once he returned to the court. It paid off. Just over three months later, the Pacers came calling. They wanted to sign York to a two-way contract.

Finally, on April 9, 2022, York was in the NBA. He made his debut in Philadelphia against the 76ers, and he scored seven points. After 28 years, York proved that he had NBA talent.

Apr 9, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Gabe York (8) drives the ball against Philadelphia 76ers power forward Tobias Harris (12) during the first half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

This past season, the story was the same. Armed with more confidence and pro experience, York shined with the Mad Ants once again. "I know I'm good enough to be in the NBA," he said during the season.

He was right. On March 30 of this year, he inked another deal with Indiana. He played in three games down the stretch of the season, including a seven-point outing in Madison Square Garden on April ninth. That night, York got his first-ever win in the pros.

He made the most of his experience in the G League as he fought to make it back to the NBA, and 'Destination NBA: A G League Odyssey' details much of that journey. "Gabe was beyond ready to tell his story. That was apparent from the moment he sat down in our interview chair, and it never changed over the course of the season," documentary co-director Liam Hughes said of York. "His willingness to open his heart and his doors to our camera brought an incredible depth to his story that we knew would resonate with the audience."

Something else that stood out to Hughes about York was how relatable his story was. Many people, even beyond athletes, struggle to achieve their dreams. "It was powerful to hear about all the ups and downs he's experienced in his career and how he's had to shift his mindset to accept that and embrace the beauty in the struggle," Hughes shared with AllPacers.

Hughes and co-director Bryant Robinson learned a lot about the G League and its players throughout the project. They both came to appreciate the reality those players are facing — in the G League, their proximity to the NBA is valuable. They have chances to reach their dream. But their financial state could be much different, and more fruitful, playing overseas. Many players have to balance those two thoughts, including York.

That sacrifice is tough to appreciate from the outside, but Robinson and Hughes documented what it looks and feels like. They both learned how small the talent gap truly is between the NBA and the best players in the G League.

"I realized the league's immense beauty as a true realm of opportunity. It provides athletes, who might have missed the NBA or faced setbacks, a chance to persevere, improve, and uplift their families' lives through basketball," Robinson shared with AllPacers. "It's an unparalleled platform for honing their skills, eclipsing any other opportunity outside the NBA."

Apr 9, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) dribbles against Indiana Pacers guard Gabe York (32) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

York got the most out of his recent G League experience, something he detailed at his end-of-season exit interview in April. He won G League player of the week multiple times as he looked to prove that he was an NBA-caliber player.

Getting called up a second time in March made it feel worth it. "The second time I got called up was more special than the first, because I knew that's where I [belong], and it took so much effort to get back to that same spot and it felt right to be there again," York told AllPacers via a spokesman. "It felt more real than the first two-way contract I got the year prior."

York thought he was a better player at the time of his second deal with the Pacers, and he believes that he was near the quality of some NBA players at the time. That made his goal feel attainable, and it was.

"I knew it was never a fluke for me to get [to the NBA] because I am good enough to play at that level. It was just a matter of an opportunity presenting itself that I could take advantage of," the guard said. "Eight years later I'm still waiting for that opportunity to prove I can play 82 games [plus] a postseason and be effective and have a real role on that team."

The Mad Ants chose York in the 2021 G League draft, and that ended up being a great choice for both parties. The Pacers organization helped York evolve and reach the league, and Fort Wayne made the playoffs for the first time in a half-decade this past year. “The Mad Ants and Pacers helped me a lot in my growth as a player and as a person. The staff over there is amazing and I can't say enough great things about that organization and atmosphere they have over there," York shared.

But he wants more. "The Pacers giving me back to back two-ways just gave me more confidence and solidified the fact that I belong in the NBA," York said. "I got a chance to play at the highest level and I'm thankful and blessed for that, but they didn't give me an opportunity to make the team or be a part of something special and that's what I'm looking for still."

As mentioned above, the documentary can be watched on Prime Video, and it chronicles the journey of York as well as Scoot Henderson, Seth Curry, Spencer Dinwiddie, Gary Payton II, and Jalen Green, among others. York discussed more of the project with Bill Simmons on The Bill Simmons Podcast, which can be listened to here.

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