"I don't know Taj well but he was amazingly open," said Kotlowitz, who is best known for "The Interrupters" documentary and the book "There Are No Children Here." "I don't know if he knew what to fully expect. Joakim just said, 'You gotta talk to Alex. You gotta talk to Alex.' I remember sittining in that interview: Here's a guy that's just a terrific, hard-nosed basketball player but he let himself seem so vulnerable. I just admire him for that."