Let's be honest, very few activities are as pleasurable as binge-watching movies on a long weekend.
A few weeks ago, one of my friends said that her grandson was really interested in basketball and wanted to watch films related to the sport. But, he was unable to find the right movies to learn more about team spirit and the sport in general.
This led me to spend a good few days creating a watchlist of the best basketball movies that her grandson and family would enjoy. Later my friend told me that her grandson was hooked on some of the movies and wanted to watch them on loop.
That's why I, Stacy Smith, have come here today with a list of some of the best basketball movies. So, without further ado, get ready with your bowl of popcorn!
Before beginning with the suggestions, let me tell you that I have tried to include films that will be a good watch for all age groups. However, when it comes to movies, there's always a debate about which ones are really the best and truly portray the experience of an actual player. So, treat this list as a guide and watch the movies you find most appealing.
When it comes to basketball-themed movies, one of the best recommendations I could give is the movie Hoosiers. Today, you might be familiar with films portraying the bond between a coach and his team, but this was one of the first films to portray that relationship.
Hoosiers basically follows the journey of a rural high school team rising to enter the state championship with the help of their new coach, Norman Dale, played by Gene Hackman. At first, he isn't taken well by the town due to his odd methods, but soon the discovery of Jimmy Chitwood's potential changes the fate of the team.
Rather than just being about winning a championship, the movie brings out how it's important to stick together and trust each other as a team. Along with the growth of the team, you get to witness the changes of Norman Dale as he rediscovers himself and gains everyone’s trust.
Hoosiers is truly a classic that is enjoyed by those who like sports movies, and most of them confess to watching it multiple times just to get motivated. I was stunned to know that Hoosiers is based on the true story of a high school team from Indiana that managed to get to the state finals in 1954.
Another movie that you might already know about is Coach Carter, in which the forever loved Samuel L. Jackson stars as the coach, Ken Carter. Much like Hoosiers, this film is based on a true story that portrays the troubles faced by sports teams coming from underprivileged backgrounds. The movie revolves around Ken Carter and his journey to redeem the high school team based in Richmond, CA.
Having said that, Coach Carter is not your average basketball movie as it focuses on the need for gaining values and performing well academically. When the team becomes overconfident and fails to meet the rules set by him, Carter is quick to close down all court activities to let them know his dissatisfaction.
The odd moves of Coach Carter manage not only to annoy the team and their parents but also the school administration, who fail to understand his motive. In the end, the team is able to realize the profound change brought about by the coach and how he has made them better players along with being wholesome humans.
A fun fact is that Coach Carter was the debut film of the much-loved actor Channing Tatum and he plays the character of Jason Lyle. One of the things that stands out about the film is the character development of the team members and the portrayal of their daily hardships.
I know that documentaries are not up everyone's alley, but Hoop Dreams is certainly different, especially as it helps viewers come to terms with the reality of society. While feature films often simplify the path of becoming college basketball players, this documentary shows the struggle of two inner-city Chicago boys with similar dreams.
Through the stories of the two African-American teenagers, William Gates and Arthur Agee, you'll be able to understand the issues of race, class, and education in modern America. Leaving that aside, this incredible 90-minute documentary manages to get you acquainted with how someone can pave their way to fulfill their dream of being an NBA player.
It was hard for me to imagine how director Steve James managed to document the four years of trials and tribulations faced by Arthur and William in high school. Sometimes I felt too overwhelmed while watching the film as the supposedly helpful institutions kept failing the two boys and forming roadblocks in their journey.
I think that all hardcore basketball admirers and those who dream of being successful sportspersons should watch Hoop Dreams to get in touch with the reality of the sporting world.
Have you ever thought about how it would feel to fall in love with someone with a similar dream? Well, this basketball movie by Gina Prince-Bythewood is an underrated gem that every sports lover should watch. The movie is set in 1981 and follows the story of two childhood friends, Monica and Quincy, who dream of becoming NBA players.
Through the movie, you'll be amused by the love-hate relationship that exists between the two characters, especially in their teenage years. An interesting decision was to divide the movie into four quarters, similar to a basketball game that takes you through Monica's and Quincy's journey from childhood to beyond college.
Moreover, the film does an excellent job of portraying the experience of college basketball players at different levels. While Quincy, the son of a former NBA player, is treated as a top dog and immediately recruited as a college player, the experience is quite different for Monica. She had to struggle her way into the team at the same college as a late recruit.
Apart from basketball, the overall topsy-turvy relationship between Quincy and Monica justifies the title of the film. But, the good news is that the film leaves you on a happy note with the hope of them being together.
I want to add that Love & Basketball does an excellent job in portraying the skills of a female basketball player, unlike many other films. It's good to know that the two months of basketball coaching really paid off for Sanaa Lathan, who played Monica.
Most of you must have already seen this film, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to mention the time when the Looney Tunes abducted Michael Jordan. Yes, the film was a classic for the 90s kids who watched it on loop and may even remember the catchy soundtrack to date.
You don't really need to make sense of this film. Rather, it's best to enjoy the nostalgia of watching favorite cartoon characters interact with top NBA players. The blend of real-life characters with animation is especially an attraction for young basketball lovers who'll be immediately drawn to the film.
The story follows the quest of Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes to defeat some supercharged aliens, MonStars, who have usurped the skill of some top NBA players. The goal of the aliens is to take the Looney Tunes as hostages to be used as entertainers in the outer space amusement park of Moron Mountain.
You're in for a treat as the match between the Tune Squad, and the MonStars is no less thrilling than an actual basketball match experience. The highlight has to be the last ten seconds of the match, thanks to the slam dunk from Jordan using cartoon physics and the cameo of Bill Murray.
If you want to get a bit more of the cartoon-basketball-meets-NBA action, do watch the 2021 reboot film Space Jam: A New Legacy, starring LeBron James.
He Got Game is another gem of a film that is starkly different from other sports dramas. The protagonist of the film is Jesus Shuttlesworth, a beloved high school basketball player who dreams of one day taking up basketball as a professional career. However, his life is overshadowed by his father, Jake, who is currently incarcerated after being charged with the murder of Jesus' mother.
As the film progresses, you learn that Jake was granted parole by the state governor to convince Jesus to join Big State University in return for a shorter sentence. Well, it isn't an easy task for Jake as his relationship with Jesus is quite sour owing to the harsh treatment he used while coaching him in the past.
No doubt, Denzel Washington as Jake is quite a convincing character, but Ray Allen playing Jesus really stood out to me as this film was supposedly his first acting gig. Overall, this is an excellent film about relationships between parents and children, along with the importance of forgiveness, which comes alive through the match played between Jake and Jesus.
The film also gives you glimpses of the ill-reputed economic culture of the NCAA along with the much-talked-about corrupted recruiting of college players. Other than that, I felt that the cinematography brings out the true beauty of Brooklyn and Coney Island and helps viewers connect with the setting in a better way.
No one can deny that the star of this film is Tupac Shakur, who plays Birdie, a Harlem drug dealer. The film revolves around Kyle-Lee Watson, a promising basketball player who's about to graduate high school. He suffers from the dilemma of playing for Birdie in the street basketball tournament or for his coach Mike Rollins who may give him a spot at Georgetown University.
Initially, he sides with Birdie to avoid his anger and violence but later joins the team of his coach due to Birdie's wrongful treatment of Bugaloo and Flip. As both teams reach the tournament final, it's made clear that Birdie doesn't like to lose and is ready to incite his team into rough play during the matches.
Another lead character in the film is Shep, a former high school basketball star who is now employed as a security guard at Kyle's high school. He might have had a failed career, but coach Rollins wants Shep to be his replacement as he retires.
You'll get to see the true form of Shep when he takes part in the final match and leads Kyle's team to the trophy, while withstanding attacks from the opponents. After the match, things take a violent turn, but in the end, Kyle is able to secure a scholarship to his desired university.
All in all, this film gives you a glimpse at the world of basketball outside regulated professional games. And the soundtrack is a bonus as several of the tracks ended up as chartbusters.
If you didn't know already, people from Boston are quite sensitive about the Celtics, their beloved basketball team. This film portrays the extent to which sports fans can go to show their love for a team.
In this sports comedy, you meet two friends, Mike O'Hara and Jimmy Flaherty, who are die-hard fans of the Celtics. Before a match, the duo hatches the plan to kidnap Louis Scott, the star player of the opponent team, the Utah Jazz, out of desperation to see their team win.
I was surprised to know that the screenplay of this film was written by Judd Apatow, who is famed for another film, The Cable Guy. Nevertheless, Celtic Pride isn't the favorite movie of many, but I found it to be a gem as it didn't fail to portray the passion and love for basketball among Americans.
A fun fact, the key match of this movie is about to occur in the Boston Garden, and after the end credits, the arena is shown to have been demolished. But, in reality, it was only brought down in 1998.
A film just can't go wrong when Ben Affleck is cast in the lead role. The Way Back will take you through the story of Jack Cunningham, who was once a high school basketball champ. However, he failed to establish a pro career in the sport when he walked away during a crucial game.
Now, years later, he accepts a coaching job at his former high school to guide the struggling basketball team towards a win. Even though he is initially reluctant, the new position helps Jack find a way to redeem his failed career.
I have to agree that Ben Affleck does a phenomenal job in the film portraying the character of Jack, his struggles, and even his little quirks. This film would be more appealing to adults, especially to those who once dreamt of having a career in basketball or any other sport.
This is the film I would recommend to those who would like to know a bit more about the struggles of college basketball players. It does a pretty good job of highlighting the ugly side of college teams.
The film revolves around coach Pete Bell who isn't a fan of the supposed booster activities that are common among college players. As a righteous coach, he made sure to run a program that was free of all boosters.
However, due to the failure of his team and his inability to attract new players, he decides to give into the pressure of breaking the rules. The film does a nifty job of showing how a man gives into the temptations of seeing his team win and stray from his once moralistic program.
Even though a bit dated with respect to current trends in basketball, I found this film to be an underrated gem. And it can help you understand the struggle it takes to be a winner.
Two of the most popular NBA stars, Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, acted as two players in the team coached by Pete Bell. I also found the documentary-style format quite appealing as it helped me connect more with the story.
Those who followed basketball in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics may faintly remember the Lithuanian team. This documentary serves to show the perils faced by the athletes under the Soviet regime and how they finally came to be the icons of the Lithuanian Independence Movement. You'll also get to know the role of an American band, the Grateful Dead, as the Lithuanian basketball team's sponsors.
What I liked the most was that the director, Marius A. Markevičius, was able to knit a wholesome, inspiring tale of the team's journey to win the bronze medal. I enjoyed seeing the archival footage that helped establish the history of Lithuania and its then-current status.
NBA fans would love the bit about the basketball player, Jonas Valančiūnas, who made his way to the 2011 NBA draft from Utena, a city in North-West Lithuania. And it's a treat to trace how the tie-dye shirts worn by the Lithuanians turned out to be a sensation in the pop culture history of basketball.
If you like dogs as much as I do, then this movie will be a delight to watch. To be honest, the main character of the movie is the golden retriever, Buddy, who joins the school basketball team. Your heart will melt seeing the friendship between Josh and Buddy, along with their shared love for basketball.
There's also a bit of drama caused by Buddy's mean past owner, Norm Snively, who slyly plans to cash in on the dog's newly gained popularity. Make sure to watch it with your kids as they'll have a really fun time.
But I won't suggest watching the sequels as they aren't as great as the first installment.
This is another documentary that I would like to suggest to basketball enthusiasts. Even to date, many people are yet to come to terms with women playing a strenuous sport like basketball. This sports documentary follows the story of the girl's high school basketball team, Roosevelt Roughriders.
The film focuses on two major people, Bill Resler, the new coach of the team who wishes to help the players win the Washington State championship. And the other being Darnellia Russell, a star player.
I was really drawn to the story of Russell, as she made it to the junior-varsity team but had to drop out due to an unplanned pregnancy. However, the documentary starts taking an interesting turn when Russell returns after giving birth to her child in hopes of playing but is banned by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.
Russell decides to face the court battles and keep on playing. Despite all the tension, she even manages to guide her school to its first state championship, which is phenomenal. That's why I think that this documentary will hold special meaning for those who played basketball in school.
That's all I had to tell you for today and I hope you will like my suggestions enough to watch some of these best basketball movies.
I have tried to keep the list as diverse as possible so that everyone is able to find a movie that they can enjoy. Note that some of these movies date back to the 90s when basketball was slightly different.
That's why it may take the younger audience a bit more time to relate to some parts in the movies. But, I'm sure that they'll love it as basketball never gets old.
Until next time, goodbye, and take care!
Tags
Basketball Movies, Best Basketball Movies
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