7. Space Jam (1996)
Okay, the idea of Looney Tunes mashing up with Michael Jordan on the basketball court would’ve sounded insane back before 1997. But now?Space Jamis a bona fide classic.
The film has a charm that’s hard to recapture—as proven by the awful 2021 reboot starring LeBron James. The originalSpace Jamcombined live action with animation as Michael Jordan, Bugs Bunny, and the rest play against monsters that want to make slaves of the toons.
In the end, it’s a film adored by generations of adults for how it made them feel as children, and that’s what makes it so great.
Related:The Best Movies That Combine Live Action With Animation
6. White Men Can’t Jump (1992)
In this film that shows a lesser-seen side of basketball—the kind of basketball played in the streets—White Men Can’t Jumpcontinually makes audiences smile, even 30 years after it came out.
White Men Can’t Jumpstars Woody Harrelson as a con man (who makes people think he sucks before he schools them and takes their money) and Wesley Snipes as his victim turned partner.
Sure, the tale takes the pair through mobsters, double-crosses, and even an episode ofJeopardy, but what makes this movie truly tick is the unusual chemistry between Snipes and Harrelson, who both have confidence that permeates the picture.
Related:The Best Comedy Sports Movies of All Time, Ranked
5. The Way Back (2020)
When he wants to, Ben Affleck has been known to pull a cracking picture out of left field, particularly during career lulls.The Way Backis his latest effort in that endeavor, and it succeeds.
The Way Backfeatures him as the head coach of his former school’s basketball team, of which he was a local legend in his youth.
But it’s not all roses.The Way Backportrays Affleck’s coach as an alcoholic who’s caught up in grief, infusing the film with a depth that keeps the whole narrative grounded with perspective.
Affleck’s performance—which he centers around his supporting cast—is the core of the picture, which grips audiences.
Related:The Best Movies About Grief and Loss, Ranked
4. Hustle (2022)
Hustleis the story of a basketball talent scout who bets everything he has on a surprise discovery—a prodigy basketball player from the streets of Spain. Of course, not everyone sees what he sees.
This film is Adam Sandler at one of his peaks, and it’s right up there next to some of his best dramatic work. Not only that,Hustleis everything that a sporting picture should be: it has heart, drama, and a willingness to put the story first.
As the film progresses and the characters bond with one another over their mutual love of family and the game, it never edges over into melodrama. Instead, it focuses on what’s truly important.
3. Coach Carter (2005)
As an adaptation of real events,Coach Carternever holds back its portrayal of what happened in Richmond with Ken Carter’s high school team.
Samuel L. Jackson’s performance leads the ensemble—which includes a young Channing Tatum—while the supporting cast is drawn to his character and how he holds them to a higher standard.
Coach Carter instills in his players a sense of belief in themselves that helped them on and off the court. That’s proven by the team’s academic achievements following their basketball careers under him.
The film is, of course, a dramatization of real events. Still, few basketball movies have ever been as impactful asCoach Carter.
Related:The Best Movies About Teachers and Students, Ranked
2. Love & Basketball (2000)
Perhaps the most romantic movie about the game of basketball,Love & Basketballhas an enduring sense of itself that still draws people to watch it more than two decades after its release.
Starring Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps,Love & Basketballshowcases the childhood crush and burgeoning love between two people as their basketball careers begin to take them in different directions.
Above everything else,Love & Basketballhas two great performances and a narrative that keeps the focus on them, along with a few parallels that hold true to the game of basketball.
They love one another, yet the pull of the court defines their relationship in ways that are almost impossible to surmount.
Related:The Best Romance Drama Movies of All Time, Ranked
1. Hoop Dreams (1994)
Okay, soHoop Dreamsis a documentary about two young men navigating their way to college-level basketball—along with the trials they must endure—all so they might make it into the NBA.
It has what every other film on this list has: drama, upsets, hurt, and triumphs. All of that’s bundled up in a feature-length package.
But instead of featuring any Hollywood actors or a narrative designed by a screenwriter,Hoop Dreamsdepicts a stark, brutal, unrelenting reality that makes the film all the more impactful.
The simple fact is this: if you’re going to watch a movie about basketball,Hoop Dreamsshould always be at the top of your list.
Read next:The Best Sports Documentaries Ever Made
