Best Basketball Documentaries

[J_Dee]

Congrats to Shaq, Curry and co. on the Best Short Documentary Academy Award win for The Queen of Basketball. I liked it a lot.

Just offhand, a few others that I really enjoyed:

Survive and Advance
No Crossover
Broke
Without Bias
Benji
Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks

I've never seen Hoop Dreams. I'll correct that oversight eventually.

Recommend some good basketball docs, guys and gals. The more obscure the better.

 

[WildcatFan1982]

Above the Rim
The 6th Man
Space Jam

 

[WildcatFan1982]

oh and Airplane, which revealed Kareems secret life as an airline pilot

 

[_Mav_]

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

Damn, Mav beat me to it.

 

[kyboy1998_rivals34276]

White men can’t jump maybe?

 

[American Dragon]

The 30 for 30 on Chris Herren was extremely good

 

[AustinTXCat]

^ many basketball-related 30 for 30 episodes are pretty good.

 

[Ohiocatfan826]

The documentary about Lenny Cooke was good as well. The side you never heard about with the high school kids that tried to jump straight to the NBA when it didnt pan out.

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

I've tried to find one on Earl Manigault, but other than a few clips on YouTube I've not had much luck.

 

[JoeSwag]

Obviously nothing beats Hoop Dreams.

The Heart of the Game is about a Seattle girls high school but it’s actually really good. Last Chance U’s basketball season was great.

I've tried to find one on Earl Manigault, but other than a few clips on YouTube I've not had much luck.

Ive got that movie on DVD- Rebound with Don Cheadle. Well, a docu-drama, I guess. HBO used to make some great movies- Rebound, Tyson.

 

[Get Buckets]

I've tried to find one on Earl Manigault, but other than a few clips on YouTube I've not had much luck.

Did you like the movie with Don Cheadle?

 

[HymanKaplan_rivals48997]

I never saw it.

 

[CAT Scratch FVR]

The Boys of 2nd Street Park was good.
Jim Carroll's "The Basketball Diaries", semi-autobiographical book and movie, Leo starred in. He was a good high school player, junkie, turned writer, rocker, etc. "People who died"...I knew a few guys from the NY playgrounds of the late 60's early 70's (older than me) who hung around a few bars I did. Ended up going out west to play and could not adapt and came home quickly. They didn't turn junkie but they were functioning alcoholics who made enough to survive. That era was full of stories.

 

[JoeSwag]

I never saw it.

It's apparently all on YouTube.

 

[Kaizer Sosay]

 

[GuyFromKY]

The 30 for 30 on MJ and the Bulls was fantastic

 

[Kaizer Sosay]

 

[_Mav_]

Henry on speed was hilarious — RUN FAST JUMP HIGH!!

 

[UnfrozenCatfanLawyer]

Hoop Dreams is phenomenal. One of those clichéd “you couldn’t make this up!” stories.

 

[_Mav_]

Damn, Mav beat me to it.

Great minds ATKOT.

 

[TortElvisII]

Balloons for everybody.

 

[TortElvisII]

Steve James documentary Stevie is also very good. He made hoop dreams. Stevie isn't a hooper though.

 

[weused2luvhim2]

The Guru of Go

 

[It'saDoneDeal]

 

[PhDcat2018]

The last dance about the 98 bulls. 8 parts and worth every second. Proves jordan is the greatest. No man wanted to absolutely kill the other team than him.

 

[American Dragon]

The 30 for 30 on Chris Herren was extremely good

I will double down and say it's one of the best things I've ever watched. The book is fantastic as well.

I met him a few years ago when he was speaking at my school. Was a moving experience.

 

[American Dragon]

The last dance about the 98 bulls. 8 parts and worth every second. Proves jordan is the greatest. No man wanted to absolutely kill the other team than him.

That was indeed fantastic

 

[American Dragon]

I've heard great things about Gunnin For That #1 Spot but haven't seen it yet.

 

[Wildcats1st]

That short 15 min movie called “basketball bennies and the lives they lead” was a good one