Basketball Movies - NBA Draft Edition

[PhantomDashCam]

With the draft around the corner and release of Netflix's film "Hustle", (Supposedly a decent watch FWIW), thought it might be interesting to talk about your favorite Basketball films.
There are a few I love watching at this time of year.

1. Above The Rim

2. White Men Can't Jump

3. He Got Game

Honorable Mention: Space Jam

Dishonorable Mention: Space Jam 2

[exstatic]

The Fish that saved Pittsburgh

Semi Pro

[John B]

Teen Wolf

[BatManu20]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzQxODE4MzEyNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNjk2OTY4ODE@._ V1_.jpg

[stephen jackson]

Like
mike

[slick'81]

Hoosiers ftw but the air up there was cool :spin

[R. DeMurre]

Hoop Dreams. A brilliant documentary that has a twist so unusual that you'd think it was unrealistic if it were in a regular movie instead of a documentary.

Basketball or Nothing. Another beautiful documentary about about a Navajo reservation team's quest to win a state championship.

[slick'81]

The basketball diaries was kool too

[PhantomDashCam]

Hoop Dreams. A brilliant documentary that has a twist so unusual that you'd think it was unrealistic if it were in a regular movie instead of a documentary.

Basketball or Nothing. Another beautiful documentary about about a Navajo reservation team's quest to win a state championship.

:tu
Damn, I forgot all about Hoop Dreams. What a great choice.
I remember watching it when I was a young teenager, before I knew how the college and Pros processes worked. (We didn't get a lot of coverage in Australia then).
I'll have to watch 'Basketball or Nothing' as I've never seen it.

[PhantomDashCam]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMzQxODE4MzEyNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNjk2OTY4ODE@._ V1_.jpg

Hilarious. They made like four sequels too so it obviously has its fans.

[KingKev]

With the draft around the corner and release of Netflix's film "Hustle", (Supposedly a decent watch FWIW), thought it might be interesting to talk about your favorite Basketball films.
There are a few I love watching at this time of year.

1. Above The Rim

2. White Men Can't Jump

3. He Got Game

Honorable Mention: Space Jam

Dishonorable Mention: Space Jam 2

I’m for this. He Got Game def my favs.

Blue Chips is underrated.

[slick'81]

I’m for this. He Got Game def my favs.

Blue Chips is underrated.

shit i forgot about blue chips . Nolte was a bad ass

[R. DeMurre]

:tu
Damn, I forgot all about Hoop Dreams. What a great choice.
I remember watching it when I was a young teenager, before I knew how the college and Pros processes worked. (We didn't get a lot of coverage in Australia then).
I'll have to watch 'Basketball or Nothing' as I've never seen it.


You'll love Basketball or Nothing-- it's a great doc. A lot of Americans don't even know about the level of basketball fanaticism that exists on lots of Native American reservations in the west, and this one really captures the love of the sport for reservation kids.

[KingKev]

Eddie

RIP Spurs legend Dwayne Schnitzius aka “Ivan take charge”

[slick'81]

Eddie

RIP Spurs legend Dwayne Schnitzius aka “Ivan take charge”

calling aj a cockroach:rollin

[Uriel]

I've always wanted to watch this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-V_2dvL-nk

[mookie2001]

Loved Uncut Gems. More of an action or gambling movie but i gotta rate it the top rebounding movie of all time.

[mookie2001]

Also we need to get a coach like Bruno Kirby in basketball diaries lol. Sincerely

[Wu36]

I agree with some titles, but as a young teen in the early 90s I remember watching a made for TV movie about Hank Gathers. Always wondered if it held up or I was just young.

[Ice009]

Hoosiers ftw but the air up there was cool :spin

Hoosiers was really good (I think it's now called something different as I recall seeing it under a different name on IMDB), but I wanted to say, man, forgot all about "The Air Up There". I thought that movie was really underrated.

Also "Above The Rim" which had Tupac in it, that was one of my all time favourites.

A couple of others on the darker side was Rebound (not the Martin Lawrence one) based on Earl 'The Goat' Manigault's story (at the start of the movie Kareem Abdul Jabbar said he was the greatest player he ever saw that never made it to the NBA due to doing drugs). I remember a scene where they taped money to the top of the backboard and Earl jumped up there, grabbed the money and put a coin on top while also having a joint in his mouth (not sure how true that was).

There was also another one in the early '90s in which Michael Jordan was supposed to star in but never made it so they got Bo Kimble from the Clippers instead. Heaven is a Playground. I thought it was decent. Haven't watched it since I was a kid, though, so may not be as good as I remember. Hakeem was also in it as an opposing player on the other team. I don't think the Basketball action was that great. It was also based on a book, but people said it didn't come close to the book.

I also now really like Blue Chips. When I was a kid, didn't like it much as it didn't have that happy ending, but watching it years later, I really liked the movie showing the recruiting corruption to get players into your school program.

Has anyone ever seen Love and Basketball (this is one I missed out on that people used to tell me is good). Not sure it's more a romance movie, though.


I agree with some titles, but as a young teen in the early 90s I remember watching a made for TV movie about Hank Gathers. Always wondered if it held up or I was just young.

I remember seeing a TV movie about Isiah Thomas growing up in Chicago. Seems he really had it tough. I think one of his older brothers was better than him, but fell into the life. I don't know if it was as good as I remember. Can't remember the name of it. Edit : Just found the movie, it's actually about his mother if anyone wants to watch it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT6gMAox524

Is this the Hank Gathers movie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104270/?ref_=tt_sims_tt_i_1 I wouldn't mind watching it, but not sure if I can find anywhere to watch it.

The was also a TV series called 'The Hoop Life' which I wanted to watch, but can't find anywhere. I think it was about a player that missed the shot to win the Championship and how his life turned out after missing the shot. Instead of making the pros, he had to play in a lower league. Not sure if I am remembering it right as I only saw a few episodes from the season when it was airing.

[rjv]

Hoop Dreams. A brilliant documentary that has a twist so unusual that you'd think it was unrealistic if it were in a regular movie instead of a documentary.

Basketball or Nothing. Another beautiful documentary about about a Navajo reservation team's quest to win a state championship.

hoop dreams is brilliant - a sad revelation of inner city life, parochial schools and the fractured american dream.

[Dex]

Anybody watched Hustle yet?

Looks decent from the trailer, and also has our man Boban in it

[Dex]

The Fish that saved Pittsburgh

Semi Pro

Semi Pro is totally underrated.

Will Farrell can be hit and miss, but that's one of his top films imo. Also love the old school Spurs references

CORN DOGS, JACKIE!

[rjv]

i didn't see white men can't jump on here but that's a pretty iconic film-classic early 90's.

[Ice009]

Semi Pro is totally underrated.

Will Farrell can be hit and miss, but that's one of his top films imo. Also love the old school Spurs references

CORN DOGS, JACKIE!

I never watched Semi Pro. For some reason I passed it up, didn't think it would be good. If you're saying it's one of his best, I might try and watch it along with Hustle this weekend.


i didn't see white men can't jump on here but that's a pretty iconic film-classic early 90's.

I think I've watched it too many times, so I didn't mention it as one of my favourites, but it definitely was. As a movie it's great. Good comedy to go along with the Basketball. I'd say it's dropped down my list a little bit since I was a kid due to it being two on two. Not sure what people play over in the US when it comes to playground ball. Is two on two common? For example, what do they mostly play in places like New York when it comes to playground ball? 2 v 2, 3 v 3 or 5 on 5??

[pookenstein]

I never watched Semi Pro. For some reason I passed it up, didn't think it would be good. If you're saying it's one of his best, I might try and watch it along with Hustle this weekend.

Semi Pro is awesome. You won't regret it.

[Ice009]

Semi Pro is awesome. You won't regret it.

Cool. Time permitting, will try and watch Semi Pro & Hustle back to back this weekend. Pretty good idea for a thread as I haven't watched a Basketball movie for quite a while.

[slick'81]

Cool. Time permitting, will try and watch Semi Pro & Hustle back to back this weekend. Pretty good idea for a thread as I haven't watched a Basketball movie for quite a while.


yea you wont not like semi pro.its a spin about the old aba with some spurs love in there

[Dex]

i didn't see white men can't jump on here but that's a pretty iconic film-classic early 90's.

It was actually on OP's post but yes...great movie

[Drom John]

Fast Break

[emanueldavidginobili]

Blue Chips, Hoosiers, Celtic pride, He got game, Love and basketball, Coach Carter.

[Biggems]

would Forget Paris be a basketball movie? I know it is a rom com, but Billy Crystal is a ref in the NBA and it has several NBA players including DRob and Sean Elliott.

[Biggems]

Coach Carter, Glory Road, Just Wright and Juwanna Mann

[KingKev]

i didn't see white men can't jump on here but that's a pretty iconic film-classic early 90's.

There is a remake in the process!!!

[KingKev]

Coach Carter, Glory Road, Just Wright and Juwanna Mann

Oh man Coach Carter good one.

[Biggems]

football had little giants
baseball had sandlot
soccer had ladybugs and the big green
hockey had the mighty ducks

did basketball have any kids movies aside from the hokey disney ones......like mike doesn't count and neither does any of the HS films.

[slick'81]

football had little giants
baseball had sandlot
soccer had ladybugs and the big green
hockey had the mighty ducks

did basketball have any kids movies aside from the hokey disney ones......like mike doesn't count and neither does any of the HS films.

rebound or like mike are the only off the top of my head

[timtonymanu]

Coach Carter
Like Mike
Space Jam (not the godawful Lebron one)
Juwanna Mann

[Dex]

football had little giants
baseball had sandlot
soccer had ladybugs and the big green
hockey had the mighty ducks

did basketball have any kids movies aside from the hokey disney ones......like mike doesn't count and neither does any of the HS films.

We will not stand for your AirBud slander.

Real talk though, it's surprising how many baseball movies were kid friendly (Sandlot, Rookie of the Year, Angels In The Outfield, Little Big League, the lesser AirBud....Major League if you had cool parents, etc.)

But I can't really think of a lot of basketball movies that were aimed at kids....I think Like Mike is the only one that sticks out

On a total sidenote, I LOVED the Mighty Ducks movies as a kid...so much that I really wanted to play hockey. Unfortunately, San Antonio (at the time) wasn't really a great place for youth hockey so I had to settle for chucking pucks on my roller blades in the street

[JuneJive]

Last Chance U: Basketball (2021)

Not a movie but an 8 episodes series following some kids in L.A.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

The Fish that saved Pittsburgh

Semi Pro

:tu

[exstatic]

:tu

A timely tweet dropped today…

1535343382146555904

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

A timely tweet dropped today…

1535343382146555904

Very nice. I may have to look for that t-shirt!

[exstatic]

Very nice. I may have to look for that t-shirt!

The link to his store is in the tweet. He’s got EVERYTHING there.

[Biggems]

We will not stand for your AirBud slander.

Real talk though, it's surprising how many baseball movies were kid friendly (Sandlot, Rookie of the Year, Angels In The Outfield, Little Big League, the lesser AirBud....Major League if you had cool parents, etc.)

But I can't really think of a lot of basketball movies that were aimed at kids....I think Like Mike is the only one that sticks out

On a total sidenote, I LOVED the Mighty Ducks movies as a kid...so much that I really wanted to play hockey. Unfortunately, San Antonio (at the time) wasn't really a great place for youth hockey so I had to settle for chucking pucks on my roller blades in the street


I cannot believe we both forgot to mention the Bad News Bears and sequels. The original was my intro to the Astros. I became an Astros fan in 1985, once their games were televised all season long here in SA. My first team was the Cubs in 1984, cause I could watch them every day during Summer break. To me they had funny nicknames for their players, my favorite being "the Penguin" Ron Cey. I also loved listening to Harry Carey, Steve Stone no so much. Once I became an Astros fan, Milo Hamilton became my favorite baseball announcer of all-time.

[Gibbz]

Semi Pro is totally underrated.

Will Farrell can be hit and miss, but that's one of his top films imo. Also love the old school Spurs references

CORN DOGS, JACKIE!

When Jackie trades a washing machine for Monix, I feel that every time the Spurs make a small move.

[barakz21]

Just saw Hustle, and it was pretty good. Not your typical Cinderella story when it comes to sports movies.

[Dex]

Just finished watching Hustle as well...surprisingly well done, and a ton of NBA cameos, references, etc.

How has nobody mentioned that recent (and short-time) Spur Juancho Hernangomez plays a main role!?

[PhantomDashCam]

Just saw Hustle, and it was pretty good. Not your typical Cinderella story when it comes to sports movies.


Just finished watching Hustle as well...surprisingly well done, and a ton of NBA cameos, references, etc.

Agreed guys.

‘Hustle’ is a good film (a great one if you love basketball) with really solid performances from the main cast.
Hermangomez and Kenny “The Jet” Smith were particularly notable playing a fictional prodigy and Klutch Sports-esque agent respectively.

While some of the situations at times stretch into the improbable, they never detracted from my enjoyment of the film and rooting for the success of its characters. Definitely check it out!

[baseline bum]

Was really impressed with Sandler in Hustle. Fucking loved all the shit Anthony Edwards talked too, was dying laughing in his scenes.

[baseline bum]

Just finished watching Hustle as well...surprisingly well done, and a ton of NBA cameos, references, etc.

How has nobody mentioned that recent (and short-time) Spur Juancho Hernangomez plays a main role!?

How about the Boris Diaw reference? And how the Philly ownership situation was basically Fredo vs Jeannie? :lol

[SPURt]

Just finished watching Hustle as well...surprisingly well done, and a ton of NBA cameos, references, etc.

How has nobody mentioned that recent (and short-time) Spur Juancho Hernangomez plays a main role!?
Juancho was legit great in Hustle. It’s the best acting an NBA player has displayed since Ray Allen in “He Got Game”. Juancho finished the season strong in Utah, though I was hoping he got a little more burn in SA before the Spurs moved on. He wasn’t gonna be the best player ever and he’s basically the same age as Jock and KBD, i guess the Spurs figured that juice wasn’t worth the squeeze.

[Dex]

How about the Boris Diaw reference? And how the Philly ownership situation was basically Fredo vs Jeannie? :lol

That was great...just missing the "that was not difficult"

They also showed Manu's foul when they were rolling credits for Dirk. :cry It still hurts :cry

[KingKev]

Was really impressed with Sandler in Hustle. Fucking loved all the shit Anthony Edwards talked too, was dying laughing in his scenes.

You guys have spurred my interest. Thanks for no spoilers!

[RC_Drunkford]

Hustle was nice. Kinda weird nobody here mentioned Sunset Park

[John B]

I just watched Hustle last night and it was a pleasant surprise. I normally don’t like Sandler’s regurgirated movies.

[CGD]

Was really impressed with Sandler in Hustle. Fucking loved all the shit Anthony Edwards talked too, was dying laughing in his scenes.

Watched last night. It was surprisingly good. Also timely given timing of current draft cycle etc.

If we only had THAT Juancho lol.

[Dex]

I just watched Hustle last night and it was a pleasant surprise. I normally don’t like Sandler’s regurgirated movies.

For a guy who built his career on the likes of Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and Little Nicky...he's put out some really solid dramas lately including Uncut Gems and Hustle.

Although as dumb as it is, Happy Gilmore is still a classic imo. I also have a soft spot for The Wedding Singer even if it's a silly rom-com....great soundtrack.

[John B]

Watched last night. It was surprisingly good. Also timely given timing of current draft cycle etc.

If we only had THAT Juancho lol.

We had him. He wasn’t that good :lol

[Dex]

We had him. He wasn’t that good :lol

https://media1.giphy.com/media/xT9IgHCTfp8CRshfQk/giphy.gif

[KingKev]

PATFO literally had the Spanish version of Jesus Shuttlesworth and let him go for nothing.

[hoopdreams11]

Sunset Park

[KingKev]

Sunset Park

With dude from Onyx. Don’t think I’ve seen this since late 90s

[RC_Drunkford]

With dude from Onyx. Don’t think I’ve seen this since late 90s

Fredro Starr stuntin hard in that yellow goose

[slick'81]

Fredro Starr stuntin hard in that yellow goose

he was in moesha too i think

[paperboy77]

Hoosiers was really good (I think it's now called something different as I recall seeing it under a different name on IMDB), but I wanted to say, man, forgot all about "The Air Up There". I thought that movie was really underrated.

Also "Above The Rim" which had Tupac in it, that was one of my all time favourites.

A couple of others on the darker side was Rebound (not the Martin Lawrence one) based on Earl 'The Goat' Manigault's story (at the start of the movie Kareem Abdul Jabbar said he was the greatest player he ever saw that never made it to the NBA due to doing drugs). I remember a scene where they taped money to the top of the backboard and Earl jumped up there, grabbed the money and put a coin on top while also having a joint in his mouth (not sure how true that was).

There was also another one in the early '90s in which Michael Jordan was supposed to star in but never made it so they got Bo Kimble from the Clippers instead. Heaven is a Playground. I thought it was decent. Haven't watched it since I was a kid, though, so may not be as good as I remember. Hakeem was also in it as an opposing player on the other team. I don't think the Basketball action was that great. It was also based on a book, but people said it didn't come close to the book.

I also now really like Blue Chips. When I was a kid, didn't like it much as it didn't have that happy ending, but watching it years later, I really liked the movie showing the recruiting corruption to get players into your school program.

Has anyone ever seen Love and Basketball (this is one I missed out on that people used to tell me is good). Not sure it's more a romance movie, though.



I remember seeing a TV movie about Isiah Thomas growing up in Chicago. Seems he really had it tough. I think one of his older brothers was better than him, but fell into the life. I don't know if it was as good as I remember. Can't remember the name of it. Edit : Just found the movie, it's actually about his mother if anyone wants to watch it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT6gMAox524

Is this the Hank Gathers movie https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104270/?ref_=tt_sims_tt_i_1 I wouldn't mind watching it, but not sure if I can find anywhere to watch it.

The was also a TV series called 'The Hoop Life' which I wanted to watch, but can't find anywhere. I think it was about a player that missed the shot to win the Championship and how his life turned out after missing the shot. Instead of making the pros, he had to play in a lower league. Not sure if I am remembering it right as I only saw a few episodes from the season when it was airing.


Heaven Is A Playground was our basketball flick. Above the Rim too. Blue Chips.

[RC_Drunkford]

he was in moesha too i think

yup

[KingKev]

Fredro Starr stuntin hard in that yellow goose


he was in moesha too i think

and New York Undercover. Till this day have never been able to find that show anywhere online.