5. Rebound: The Legend of Earl “The Goat” Manigault (1996)
I am a fan of anything that involves Don Cheadle. Especially this feel good movie about a basketball prodigy/junkie who is able to reform his life and help the youth of Harlem.
This movie may fly under the radar in comparison to other heavy hitters on this list, but it is definitely worth the watch. The Goat may not be the sexiest nickname is sports lore, but he proves to be a very impactful character.
4. Coach Carter (2005)
Hold onto your butts. While I’m tempted to fill this entire paragraph with obscure Samuel L. Jackson references, Coach Carter was a surprisingly good movie even though the gym wasn’t full of snakes like I originally assumed.
Sometimes know as the man of a thousand movies, Jackson delivers a convincing performance as a high school coach that forces his team into a higher academic standard.
Rob Brown makes his second performance on this list, so future screenwriters and directors take note: If you want to make a successful basketball movie, Rob Brown should probably be your first phone call.
3. He Got Game (1998)
This movie, aside from being fantastic, gets a lot of credit for coining one of the coolest names in fictional sports history. Current NBA player and Boston Celtic, Ray Allen, plays Jesus Shuttlesworth, a basketball prodigy dealing with the influence of a father with questionable motives.
Denzel Washington is fantastic as the father, and Spike Lee adds his normal directorial stamp to a movie that is raw and consistently entertaining.
It was rumored that Spike Lee originally sought Allen Iverson for the role of Jesus, but Ray Allen took the role really well. His vulnerability, the byproduct of his inexperience with acting, worked successfully with the character he was asked to play.
It’s too bad we may not see the real life Jesus Shuttlesworth burying three pointers this season. Sigh.
2. Love and Basketball (2000)
I have to admit that “Love and Basketball” is not my favorite movie. It reminds me of the Kevin Costner film of a similar name; “For Love of the Game.” Although the latter is certainly a less well received movie, both revolve around a similar dynamic, in which the relationship of focus overshadows the actual athletic aspect of the film.
Despite my disdain, “Love and Basketball” is an very well acted movie that has a very solid reputation among movie goers and basketball fans alike. It may not be my cup of tea, but it certainly deserves a spot in the upper echelon of sports cinema.
1. Hoosiers (1986)
Without a doubt the most iconic, and well-made basketball movie ever created. If the lockout is really getting you down, I would recommend you to skip directly to this film and let your troubles melt away. That is the best advice I can give you.
Cross you fingers, and hope that there will be a miraculous turn of events. But until then, these ten movies are just what the sports doctor ordered.
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