As the 2001 CYO MVP, my basketball playing days peaked a long time ago. But when it comes to watching the sport, I never miss a 76ers game… even though they have been a hard team to watch as of late.
But that’s why I enjoy watching movies about basketball. Not only can I forget the team that hurts me so often, but I get to invest in the sport on an emotional level through my favorite artistic medium.
Today, I want to take you through what I think are the ten best basketball movies of all time and talk about what I love about each of them.
Let’s dive in.
1. Hoop Dreams (1994)
Director: Steve JamesWriters: Steve James, Frederick MarxStarring: William Gates, Arthur Agee
This isn’t just the greatest basketball documentary; it’s one of the greatest documentaries ever made, period. It might be the GOAT–I legitimately think it is in the conversation.
The film follows two inner-city Chicago teens, William Gates and Arthur Agee, over five grueling years as they chase their dreams of reaching the NBA.
What you get is a complete deconstruction of America and of what it means to lift yourself out of a situation, or let it swallow you whole. It’s an often heartbreaking look at the intersection of race, class, and the crushing weight of following your dreams.
2. Hoosiers (1986)
Director: David AnspaughWriter: Angelo PizzoStarring: Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper
I remember the first time I saw this movie and being blown away that it actually lived up to the hype. It’s just great! This movie set the gold standard for the underdog sports movie. Everyone tries to copy it now.
It was based on the true story of the 1954 Milan High School team, and stars Gene Hackman in an iconic performance as Coach Norman Dale, a man with a troubled past who leads a tiny Indiana school to the state championship.
Dennis Hopper got nominated for an Oscar for his role. Also, the score is legendary. It’s a perfect tale of redemption and teamwork.
3. He Got Game (1998)
Director: Spike LeeWriter: Spike LeeStarring: Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Milla Jovovich, Rosario Dawson
Absolutely one of the best Spike Lee movies ever made. It has his love of basketball in every frame, and there’s a lot of lore about this movie and all the NBA players in it.
Denzel Washington is incredible as Jake Shuttlesworth, an inmate granted temporary parole to convince his son, Jesus (played by NBA star Ray Allen), the top recruit in the country, to play for the governor’s alma mater.
The film is a sharp critique of the exploitation of young athletes by the system, just like how prisoners are exploited as well. We get a complex story about a fractured father-son relationship in there to add even more emotional depth.
4. White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
Director: Ron SheltonWriter: Ron SheltonStarring: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez
The definitive streetball comedy. It is so full of laugh-out-loud moments and endlessly quotable lines. If you go to any pickup game, you can find guys talking about this movie and mimicking its characters.
Writer-director Ron Shelton (who also wrote Blue Chips and Bull Durham) perfectly captured the ’90s street scene with this story of two rival hustlers who form an uneasy partnership.
The chemistry between Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson is electric. It’s crazy they didn’t do more movies together because it pops off the screen.
5. Love & Basketball (2000)
Director: Gina Prince-BythewoodWriter: Gina Prince-BythewoodStarring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert
A groundbreaking film that finally put a female athlete’s journey front and center with lots of heart and sensuality.
In her stunning directorial debut, Gina Prince-Bythewood tells a sweeping love story that follows Monica (Lathan) and Quincy (Epps) from their childhood pickup games to their pro-ball aspirations.
I just cannot get over how good and soulful this movie is, and how pure the relationship at the center is, and how much I think about it all the time.
6. The Way Back (2020)
Director: Gavin O’ConnorWriter: Brad IngelsbyStarring: Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Janina Gavankar
This is a sneaky movie that not enough people have seen. Affleck is so good in this one, and I think he deserved at least some Oscar consideration.
He plays Jack Cunningham, a former high school basketball phenom whose life has been derailed by alcoholism. He gets an unexpected shot at redemption when he’s asked to coach the struggling team at his alma mater.
It’s an unflinching look at addiction, grief, and how to move forward when you’re bogged down by things that feel outside your control.
7. Space Jam (1996)
Director: Joe PytkaWriters: Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, Herschel WeingrodStarring: Michael Jordan, Bill Murray, Wayne Knight, Billy West
I saw this movie in Times Square on opening night on a family vacation. It’s an absolute ’90s cultural touchstone that showed just how big the game of basketball had gotten in the mainstream.
This live-action/animated fantasy starring Michael Jordan (as himself) and the Looney Tunes is pure nostalgic fun. The plot is absurd (MJ helps the Tunes win a basketball game against talent-stealing aliens).
It showed the reach these kinds of movies had for the time, and also just hits like a nostalgia bomb when you’re watching.
8. Hustle (2022)
Director: Jeremiah ZagarWriters: Taylor Materne, Will FettersStarring: Adam Sandler, Juancho Hernangómez, Queen Latifah, Ben Foster
This is the best modern basketball movie, period. It really gets the idea of the worldly game and how much scouts matter for your team to build.
Adam Sandler gives one of his finest performances as Stanley Sugerman, a weary NBA scout who risks his career on a phenomenal but unknown streetball player from Spain (played by real-life NBA player Juancho Hernangómez).
The film is packed with authentic NBA cameos and training-montage grit, but its real strength is its heart of about two men fighting for a last chance.
9. Blue Chips (1994)
Director: William FriedkinWriter: Ron SheltonStarring: Nick Nolte, Shaquille O’Neal, Penny Hardaway, Mary McDonnell
People forget this movie, but at the time, it was such a big deal to have a legendary director pulling real NBA stars to tell a gritty story of how college basketball was sending money around to get star recruits.
William Friedkin (The Exorcist) was not afraid to show the dark side of sports. Nick Nolte gives a fantastic, frazzled performance as a desperate coach who has to decide between “playing clean” and losing or “buying” a team that can win.
10. Coach Carter (2005)
Director: Thomas CarterWriters: Mark Schwahn, John GatinsStarring: Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown, Channing Tatum
This is the quintessential inspirational sports movie, and it hits all the right notes. “You are student-athletes. ‘Student’ comes first.”
It’s based on an incredible true story and features Samuel L. Jackson as Ken Carter, a high school basketball coach who famously benches his undefeated team for failing to meet academic standards. It’s a film about discipline, integrity, and why you need to prioritize education for these athletes.
Summing It All UpÂ
Basketball is one of the most cinematic sports out there, and these movies really define what it takes to make it in cinema and on the court.
Did I leave out any of your favorites?
Let me know what you think in the comments.