Us basketball fans have been dealing with a sad reality for weeks now. Because of the pandemic, there won't be any college basketball until next year, and the NBA has yet to come out of suspension in July (fingers crossed).
But there’s always a way to relive those precious moments. We still have entertainment to turn to while facing these lockdown blues, and it’s just one sports binge-watch away. Right here is a list of the 5 best basketball movies ever that will get you inspired until the games finally arrive.
Space Jam (streaming on Netflix)
Space Jam has got to be one of the greatest basketball movies to hit theatres in the 90s. For one, it features basketball’s elite: Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, and of course, Michael Jordan, in a wacky story with the Looney Tunes characters. The movie was filmed in one of basketball’s most prime eras, which is already a huge plus. Its all-star lineup and creative storytelling definitely puts it among the best basketball movies ever.
White Men Can’t Jump (available on iTunes and Amazon Prime)
Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes make for a dynamic duo. White Men Can't Jump offers a comic relief from the intense and straightforward nature of basketball is a fresh treat for many basketball fans. Written and directed by Ron Shelton, the movie’s an absolute classic for many sports movie lovers.
Hoop Dreams (streaming on Hulu)
Hoop Dreams isn’t just one of the best basketball movies ever; it’s also among the most exquisite documentaries of our time. That’s a bold statement, but when you spend five years following the story of two aspirational teenagers (Arthur Agee and William Gates) and their journey to becoming professional basketball players, it could definitely live up to that status. What Steve James did with this film is cinematic gold.
Blue Chips (streaming on Amazon Prime)
Blue Chips shows the lengths that some basketball coaches, among others, will take to cope with the struggle of college basketball recruitment during its darkest times. Nick Nolte plays the character of Pete Bell, a distressed basketball coach driven to do anything to advance his team. The movie also features real-life basketball stars Shaquille O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway.
He Got Game (streaming on Hulu and Showtime Anytime)
And to cap the list of cult classics, Spike Lee’s He Got Game is one of the best basketball movies ever, and my personal favorite. It’s a movie with Denzel Washington in it, which already speaks a lot about its quality. It’s a sports-drama that tells the story of Jake Stuttleworth, the father of top basketball prospect Jesus Stuttleworth (played by Ray Allen.) If you haven’t watched this film yet, you should.
Comments