From the true stories that helped define the genre to the more outlandish takes on the game, the best basketball movies showcase the thrilling subgenre. Basketball is a tricky sport to capture on film, but there are some fantastic movies for fans of the game. Sports movies have always been appealing, typically telling feel-good stories of characters triumphing over hardship to win games or conquer internal struggles. Even for non-sports fans, these films can be sources of inspiration and entertainment.
Whether it be pro-level or youth hoops, on the court or off the court, great actors and directors like Ben Affleck, Adam Sandler, and Spike Lee have expressed their love for basketball through films. The best basketball films go beyond telling stories of great players and also capture the vibrant culture of the sport, from style to music to the rich history of the NBA. From comedies to dramas, there are a lot of approaches to the game through the cinematic eye.
15
High Flying Bird (2019)
A Sports Agent Attempts To Change The Game Forever
High Flying Bird
7/10
- Release Date
-
January 27, 2019
- Runtime
-
90 minutes
While there are a lot of great basketball movies that take audiences onto the court for some game action, there are also a lot of interesting stories to be told from behind the scenes. High Flying Bird is a Netflix Original movie that manages to be a great basketball film despite taking place during a pro-basketball lockout. Andre Holland stars as an ambitious sports agent who recruits one of his promising clients to work a loophole that could change the game forever.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, High Flying Bird feels somewhat like his Ocean’s movies with a fast-paced, high-stakes mission with some humor and excitement thrown in. However, the movie is also a fascinating look at the NBA as a business and the idea that the game is not being run by the people it should be.
14
Blue Chips (1994)
A Coach Considers Crossing A Line To Make A Winning Team
Blue Chips
- Release Date
-
February 18, 1994
- Director
-
William Friedkin
- Writers
-
Ron Shelton
While Shaquille O’Neal’s movie career has been the subject of many jokes over the years, he delivers an effective supporting performance in a more dramatic role in Blue Chips. Directed by legendary filmmaker William Friedkin, Blue Chips stars Nick Nolte as a college basketball coach who is consumed with winning. While he finds some very promising talents that could transform his team, he has to contend with breaking the rules in order to recruit them.
The movie is an intense look at the pressures and high stakes of the college basketball world, with Nolte delivering a commanding performance as this coach who is torn between a possible winning season and the ethics of the game. O’Neal plays one of the new recruits, while the movie also features cameos from the likes of Bobby Knight and Larry Bird.
13
Glory Road (2006)
The True Story Of A Trailblazing Team From Texas
Glory Road
- Release Date
-
January 13, 2006
- Runtime
-
109 minutes
- Director
-
James Gartner
Glory Road might not be as well known as some of the other sports movies based on a true story, but it still captures the rousing and inspirational fun that fans of the genre are always looking for. Josh Lucas stars in the movie as Don Haskins​​​​​, the coach of a girls’ high school basketball team who is recruited to help shape a new winning team at Texas Western College in the 1960s. However, Haskins takes an unorthodox approach to achieving this, including forming the first all-Black starting lineup in NCAA history.
Similar to Remember the Titans‘ football story, Glory Road is a tale of a team overcoming the prejudices and issues of the time to focus on the game together. Haskins makes for an inspiring protagonist, a man whose determination and disregard for outside opinions help to spur on his team.
12
Uncut Gems (2019)
Adam Sandler Gambles Everything On Ball Games
Uncut Gems
6/10
- Release Date
-
December 13, 2019
- Runtime
-
134 minutes
Adam Sandler’s Hustle is a more conventional basketball movie, but Uncut Gems is another terrific project from the actor’s filmography that is imbued with the love of the game, albeit in a much different story. Sandler stars as Howard Ratner, a New York City jeweler who is also a gambling addict. With his debts mounting, he seeks to fix his life with a rare gem as well as a chance encounter with NBA star Kevin Garnett.
Uncut Gems is a fast-paced and sweat-inducing ride through the wild life of Sandler’s self-destructive protagonist. It also makes basketball games the most high-stakes as they have been in any movie with Howard drawn to risk everything on these games. Sandler gives a career-best performance in the lead role, while Garnett proves to be an effective performer as well. It’s better as a film than a lot of other basketball movies but doesn’t have quite enough of the sport in it for it to rank higher.
11
Uncle Drew (2018)
Kyrie Irving Brings His Old Streetballer Character To The Big Screen
Uncle Drew
6/10
- Release Date
-
June 29, 2018
- Runtime
-
104minutes
It is quite surprising that one of the best basketball movies started out as a soda commercial. The character of Uncle Drew began in 2012 with the Pepsi commercial starring NBA star Kyrie Irving in heavy makeup to appear as the old man Uncle Drew, who proves himself to be a surprisingly talented streetballer. The commercials and the character were popular enough that Uncle Drew got his own movie with Irving returning alongside some other basketball stars.
Comedian Lil Rel Howery stars in the movie as a man desperate to put together a winning streetball team for an upcoming tournament. After discovering Uncle Drew’s unexpected skills, he invites the old man and his team of equally old players, including Shaquille O’Neal and Reggie Miller, also in heavy makeup. The movie is a funny and wild ride with plenty of comedic actors to support these basketball superstars.
10
Semi-Pro (2008)
Will Ferrell Tries To Keep His Flint Michigan Tropics Alive
Semi-Pro
- Release Date
-
February 28, 2008
- Runtime
-
91 minutes
- Director
-
Kent Alterman
Semi-Pro is far from the most serious basketball movie, but it holds a warm place in the hearts of sports fans. NBA All-Star Klay Thompson has cited the film as a feel-good movie for him and credited Will Ferrell’s character Jackie Moon as the reason he’ll occasionally don a headband. Moon is an eccentric owner/player of a struggling team who looks to turn things around with outrageous performances.
Aside from goofy, over-the-top Will Ferrell 2000s movie humor, Semi-Pro is actually set amid the NBA’s historic merger with the ABA, which introduced teams like the Nets and Spurs to the league. It’s a fascinating era to focus on, and as ridiculous as it all is, basketball fans are likely to find a lot of fun in exploring this bit of basketball history. Ferrell is joined by an excellent supporting cast, including Woody Harrelson and Will Arnett.
9
Air (2023)
The Birth Of Air Jordan Sneakers
Air
9/10
- Release Date
-
April 5, 2023
- Runtime
-
95 minutes
The 2020s have had some fantastic basketball films already, showing the growth in appeal for the sport. While Air doesn’t take place on the court, it’s an essential film in telling how modern basketball came to be, exploring Nike’s efforts to sign Michael Jordan. Matt Damon stars in the movie as Sonny Vaccaro, the ambitious man behind the deal while director Ben Affleck also plays Nike president Phil Knight, in a fun eccentric supporting role.
[T]he film is filled with witty dialogue, enjoyable performances, and references for basketball fans.
Jordan’s decision in the 1980s would revolutionize the sports world, forming a cohesion between basketball and fashion that’s still prevalent today. Interestingly, the movie chooses not to actually show Jordan as a character, always leaving him as some obscure figure that feels fitting to his legacy. With Damon and Affleck doing an uncredited rewrite of the script, the film is filled with witty dialogue, enjoyable performances, and references for basketball fans.
8
The Way Back (2020)
An Underdog High School Basketball Film With Mature Themes And Performances
The Way Back
8/10
- Release Date
-
March 6, 2020
- Runtime
-
115 minutes
- Director
-
Gavin O’Connor
Ben Affleck returns to the basketball genre for a much different movie than Air. Directed by Gavin O’Connor, The Way Back stars Affleck as Jack, a man struggling with alcoholism who is given the opportunity to coach his old high school’s team. His tenure as coach is a transformative experience for both him and his players, as he unlocks potential from the team. However, Jack finds that even this new purpose in life cannot overcome the demons in his lie so easily.
The Way Back is one of the more bleak but moving sports films, exploring mature issues of addiction and grief, becoming one of Ben Affleck’s most important movies in his career. While other movies of this kind might make basketball the saving grace for the protagonist, The Way Back is a more realistic look at addiction and the way it can take hold of a person’s life. Affleck delivers one of the best performances of his career.
7
Hoosiers (1986)
The Classic High School Basketball Movie
Hoosiers
- Release Date
-
November 14, 1986
- Runtime
-
114 minutes
- Director
-
David Anspaugh
Hoosiers is based on a real-life story from the small, rural town of Hickory, Indiana, in the 1950s. Starring Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper, the duo form an unlikely and effective team as the coach with a checkered past and the local alcoholic as his assistant coach who attempts to transform the unassuming team of farmers’ sons into champions. Hoosiers is a classic underdog sports movie about a small-town team in a big tournament, which includes one of the most inspiring sports movie speeches ever.
Indiana is still a passionate basketball state, with the term “Hoosier” now synonymous with the state’s excitement for high school and collegiate basketball. Its legacy goes beyond that with it being an inspiring yet grounded look at the kind of community that put all their hope and expectations on these small local sports teams and the thrill that can come when one of those teams has what it takes to go all the way.
6
Coach Carter (2005)
Samuel L. Jackson Is Coach Carter
Coach Carter
- Release Date
-
January 14, 2005
- Runtime
-
136 minutes
- Director
-
Thomas Carter
Another basketball coaching story inspired by true events is Coach Carter, starring Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson gives one of his best performances as the real-life coach who demands excellence from his players on the court and, more importantly, off the court. Carter shocks his team by halting practices while the players get their grades in order while on the verge of a potential championship run.
Jackson plays the protagonist as a man of integrity and responsibility who truly cares about the young men he oversees, even if he is hard on them in every aspect of their school lives.
Coach Carter demonstrates the importance of education and mentorship in the high school sports world, exploring the role of sports in the development of kids in a way sports films usually ignore. Jackson plays the protagonist as a man of integrity and responsibility who truly cares about the young men he oversees, even if he is hard on them in every aspect of their school lives. The movie is also notable as an early role for Channing Tatum.
5
Space Jam (1995)
Michael Jordan. Bugs Bunny.
Space Jam
- Release Date
-
November 15, 1996
- Runtime
-
88 Minutes
- Director
-
Joe Pytka
Simply put, the original Space Jam is iconic, still managing to be an important part of basketball culture nearly 30 years later. Pairing the Looney Tunes with Michael Jordan perfectly combined animation and sports to create an entertaining masterpiece that’s a huge source of nostalgia for basketball fans who grew up in the ’90s. Jordan stars as himself during the baseball era of his sports career only to be recruited by Bugs Bunny and his friends to play a game of basketball against some nefarious aliens.
The film had a long-awaited sequel starring LeBron James, which lacked much of the ’90s Space Jam’s charm. However, Space Jam remains a film fans return to again and again for nostalgic fun. As cartoonish as the basketball scenes are, Space Jam still delivers the typical sports movie thrills while also including cameos from other basketball legends, like Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, and Patrick Ewing.
4
Hustle (2022)
Adam Sandler Is An NBA Scout
Hustle
7/10
- Release Date
-
June 8, 2022
- Runtime
-
117 minutes
- Director
-
Jeremiah Zagar
Netflix’s Hustle, starring Adam Sandler, was a smash hit for fans as his amateur hooping has made him beloved by the basketball community. However, while Sandler is known for his sports comedies like Happy Gilmore and The Longest Yard, Hustle is a more serious project from the actor and another example of his talents. Sandler is a basketball scout who discovers an untapped talent overseas in player Bo Bruz, who ex-NBA athlete Juancho Hernangómez plays.
The film is also filled with NBA players in small roles, including Anthony Edwards who’s perfect as a supporting antagonist. Hernangómez is impressive in the key role while Sandler earned a Screen Actor’s Guild nomination for his subtle performance in the lead role. Hustle is as moving as it is entertaining, telling an underdog story about grit, determination, and perseverance.
3
White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
The ’90s Streetball Hustler Classic
White Men Can’t Jump
- Release Date
-
March 27, 1992
- Runtime
-
115 Minutes
- Director
-
Ron Shelton
Not to be confused with the 2023 remake starring Jack Harlow, 1992’s White Men Can’t Jump is a classic sports comedy/drama. Woody Harrelson plays Billy Hoyle, a basketball hustler who forms an unlikely partnership with Wesley Snipes’ Sidney Deane as they take to the courts of Los Angeles to make some money. The duo prove to be a winning team while also playing up their mismatched appearance to make themselves the underdogs.
The classic captures the vibrant street basketball culture of the ’90s and is still beloved by fans.
The classic captures the vibrant street basketball culture of the ’90s and is still beloved by fans, with NBA player Pat Connaughton wearing a shirt referencing the film at the 2020 Slam Dunk contest. Snipes and Harrelson make for a terrific onscreen team, bringing humor and friendship to the movie with their undeniable chemistry. The basketball sequences are also thrilling with the two-on-two format offering something different from what is usually seen in the genre.
2
Love And Basketball (2000)
A Romance Between Basketball Players
Love & Basketball
- Release Date
-
April 21, 2000
- Runtime
-
124 minutes
- Director
-
Gina Prince-Bythewood
-
Sanaa Lathan
Monica Wright
-
-
-
Love and Basketball is a romantic drama that explores the relationship of two aspiring basketball stars from their youths to the collegiate level. Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan star as Quincy and Monica, both of whom seek to play at the professional level. Their shared passion for the game and their dreams of where it can take them lead them to form a relationship. However, their commitment to the game may overshadow their commitment to each other.
Not only is Love and Basketball a great story of the hardships of pursuing athletic careers, but it also explores the complexities of ambition in romance. Quincy and Monica have great chemistry and are one of the best friends-to-lovers couples in movies. It is also one of the rare movies in this genre that examine female ballers while also highlighting Monica’s struggles in the sport are different from Quincy’s struggles.
1
He Got Game (1998)
Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, And Spike Lee Unite
He Got Game
- Release Date
-
May 1, 1998
- Runtime
-
136 minutes
Spike Lee is well known for being a die-hard Knicks fan and loves basketball so much that he’s even directed an NBA 2K MyCareer mode. However, his crowning contribution to the basketball world is the film He Got Game, starring NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen as Jesus Shuttlesworth in one of the rare cases where an athlete puts on a strong performance. Denzel Washington plays Allen’s father, who’s been in prison for six years and must convince his star prospect son to attend a particular college to help shorten his prison sentence.
He Got Game is one of Spike Lee’s best films and certainly one of his most emotional. The premise might sound outlandish, but Lee uses it to tell a touching story of a father and son. Washington gives an outstanding performance as the complex lead, a man who is deeply flawed but also seeking redemption.
