Top 50 Best Basketball Movies To Watch

Hoop Dreams is a sports documentary about two inner-city Chicago youth who dream of an NBA career but are bogged down by financial troubles and lack of opportunities.

The film was originally intended as a 30-minute PBS documentary. However, in the end, the makers had five years' worth of filming.

The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival and won the best documentary award with praise from critics and audiences.

It was nominated for several other awards and an Academy Award as well. The documentary follows the struggles and progress of William Gates and Arthur Agee.

They come from poor families and face financial hardships, lack of sponsorship, the weight of expectations, and more. By the end of the documentary, we see Gates and Agee have entered colleges and are still hoping to be drafted into the NBA.

Hoosiers is a biographical sports drama about the rise to fame of the Milan High School team who won the 1954 state championship.

The film was critically acclaimed for the performances of the cast and the screenplay. It earned Academy Award nominations for Dennis Hopper and the music score by Jerry Goldsmith.

In the rural town of Hickory, the school principal hires Norman Dale as the teacher of civics, history, and head coach of the basketball team.

The previous coach was highly regarded but passed away, leading the star player to exit the game. Dale has a questionable history in coaching teams, and his techniques also raise doubts in the mind of the townspeople.

Yet, with the help of a local drunk who loves basketball, Dale coaches the team to the finals and victory.

Air focuses on the history of Sonny Vaccaro, a shoe salesman, and his pivotal role in leading Nike's pursuit of basketball superstar Michael Jordan.

In 1984, Nike's basketball shoe division faced low sales and potential closure. Vaccaro, along with Nike's Marketing VP Rob Strasser and CEO Phil Knight, set out to find a new spokesperson for their shoes.

Despite initial doubts about Jordan's availability and cost, Vaccaro believed in Jordan's extraordinary talent and convinced Nike to pursue him.

With the support of Jordan's coach and mother, Vaccaro successfully arranged a meeting with the Jordan family at Nike headquarters. After negotiations, Jordan agreed to sign with Nike, demanding a percentage of every Air Jordan sold.

Despite initial hesitation, Knight accepted the terms, and the Air Jordan brand exceeded expectations, becoming a lucrative venture for both Nike and Jordan.

"The Heart of the Game" is a documentary film released in 2005. It follows the inspiring story of the Roosevelt Roughriders, a high school girls' basketball team in Seattle, and their dedicated coach, Bill Resler.

The film primarily focuses on one player, Darnellia Russell, who overcomes personal challenges to become a standout player. As the team faces obstacles and strives for success, the film explores themes of perseverance, teamwork, and the pursuit of dreams.

"The Heart of the Game" received critical acclaim for its heartfelt storytelling, compelling characters, and emotional depth. The film beautifully captures the passion and determination of the players and their coach, showcasing their triumphs and struggles both on and off the basketball court.

It became a favourite among sports enthusiasts and documentary lovers alike, garnering praise for its authenticity and capturing the essence of the game.

Hustle is a sports drama about the NBA scouts who draft talented players from around the world. The film was released on Netflix in June 2022 and has garnered rave reviews from critics and audiences.

The performance of Adam Sandler as the scout has received special praise. Stanley is the international scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, and his frequent travel has affected his family life.

To salvage his marriage, Stanley takes up the job as assistant coach to stay closer to family, but Rex, the co-owner, is against Stanley and demotes him back to a scout.

On his trip to Spain, he discovers a talented player Bo Cruz with a difficult past of jail time.

With tremendous support from Stanley, his family, and friends, Bo Cruz proves his talent despite the hardship created by Rex.

High Flying Bird is a sports drama about the backdoor negotiations, agents, media, and sports agents that control the game.

The film is a Steven Soderbergh film that was shot entirely on an iPhone 8. It was received well by the audience and the critics, who praised the gripping drama.

Ray is a sports agent who is at risk of losing his job due to a lockout. This brings the game to a standstill as all games are cancelled and no one will get paid until the team owner and media outlets can negotiate a settlement.

The deals made by sports agents and agencies along with players could get voided. In such a scenario, Ray plays a dangerous gamble that could unlock a new future or spell disaster for him.

Love & Basketball is a cult classic film about a romance that centres around basketball. The film received favourable reviews from critics who praised the performance of Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan as the lead pair.

The audience also gave it a thumbs Up. Quincy McCall and Monica Wright are neighbours who love basketball with a passion.

Since childhood, they have had a fierce attraction toward each other that is complimented by their talent in basketball.

However, where Quincy has a relatively easy path towards achieving his dream, Monica has to struggle with gender stereotypes, lack of opportunities, and her attraction for Quincy.

As they each stumble through life being together and apart, they learn and grow. They finally get their happy ending.

The Way Back is sports drama released in the United States on March 6, 2020, and grossed $15.5 million at the box office. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised Affleck's performance. 

The film tells the story of Jack Cunningham, who was a star basketball player. Now, he is an alcoholic construction worker who is recruited to become head coach of the basketball team at his alma mater. Jack is struggling with addiction and grief, but he finds redemption through coaching the team.

Jack and the team help heal each other and come out stronger and better. The Way Back is a sports drama film directed by Gavin O'Connor and written by Brad Ingelsby. It stars Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, and Janina Gavankar. 

He Got Game is a Spike Lee movie about a father who has to convince his son to take up the basketball program at “Big State”, one of the top universities.

The film boasts top acting from Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, and Rosario Dawson. Jake is in prison for murdering his wife, and his son holds deep resentment toward him.

The governor of the state offers a deal to Jake to convince his son, a star basketball talent, to join the Big State University’s basketball program.

In exchange, the governor will give him a reduced prison sentence. Jake tries his best to convince the son that the program is beneficial for him.

He also has a one-on-one match with a bet that he should go to BigState if he loses.

Finding Forrester is a heartwarming tale of friendship. The film was directed by Gus Van Sant and starred Sean Connery as William Forrester.

Connery accepted that he portrayed the character based on J. D. Salinger’s life. Jamal Wallace is seen playing basketball with his friends in his neighbourhood park.

After a dare from them, Jamal enters the apartment of the reclusive Mr Forrester. Soon, an unlikely friendship forms between them, and Forrester helps Jamal with his writing.

Meanwhile, Jamal earns a Basketball scholarship to study at a prestigious University. However, Jamal’s professor gets inquisitive about the rapid improvement in Jamal’s work and blames him for plagiarism, and threatens to revoke his basketball scholarship.

White Men Can’t Jump is a sports comedy about a pair of streetball hustlers. The film received good reviews from critics, calling it a fresh take on sports comedy with a clever script.

The film is not just a basketball movie but a fun entertainer. Billy and Sydney are two basketball hustlers who earn money in street ball games.

Billy’s girlfriend is against this job, but Billy persists. He also has a gambling debt that is a constant sword hanging over his head.

On the other hand, Sydney is stuck in an unsafe neighbourhood and wants a better life for himself and his girlfriend.

They both team up to hustle and make money while also helping each other.

Coach Carter is a biographical sports drama that depicts the events that took place at Richmond High School in their basketball team.

The film was a hit, with the audience loving the inspirational tale and the efforts of the coach. However, the critics called the film formulaic, despite them being true life events.

Coach Carter is appointed the head basketball coach at Richmond high school to train the Richmond Oilers. However, he finds the players are all rude, indisciplined, and lacking proper grades.

He immediately suspends the entire team and makes them sign the contract. It stipulates that they maintain a minimum 2.3 grade average and sufficient attendance.

Although the entire community is shocked, they slowly come around and see the benefit of the decision.

Glory Road is a biographical sports drama. It is about the events leading up to the 1966 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship.

Glory Road is based on the novel of the same name written by Don Haskins and Daniel Wetzel. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but the audience made the film a hit with approximate earnings of $43 million.

Don Haskins is appointed as the head coach of Texas Western College, which has an all-black starting line-up for their basketball matches.

They have to contend with discrimination, racial tensions, and hurdles of student-athletes at every step before they can reach the finals.

O is a modern retelling of the Shakespearean play, Othello. It is set against the backdrop of high school basketball tournaments.

The film was received positively by the audience despite the delayed release. It was scheduled for release in 1999 but was postponed due to the Columbine High School Massacre.

The plot of the movie is similar to Othello, with Odin as the star basketball player and Hugo Goulding as the envious and scheming Iago.

Desi Bramble is the innocent and supportive Desdemona. The film was a box office hit, and it earned close to $19 million on a budget of $ 5 million.

Uncle Drew is a sports comedy with a star cast from the NBA men's and women’s teams. The film was criticized as being formulaic and weak.

However, the audience appreciated it. They made the film a hit and praised the performance of Kyrie Irving in a comedy role.

Dax is a kind-hearted coach of a basketball team, but neither his team nor his girlfriend appreciates him. He also has a rival, Mookie, who has haunted him since his young days and ruined all his attempts at winning.

When Mookie strikes again and takes away Dax's team and girlfriend, Dax turns to the legendary Uncle Drew to get his game back.

The Winning Season is a sports comedy-drama. It is written and directed by Jim Strouse and stars Sam Rockwell.

The film received a limited release in the United States and the United Kingdom. Bill Greaves is a washed-up has-been coach.

As his life hits an all-time low point, his best friend offers him a job at a girls' high school as a basketball coach.

Bill hopes to turn his life around but realizes that it is not easy. Slowly, he teaches the girls to play basketball as they teach him to be a better person and a father.

He attempts to mend his relationship with his daughter.

Space Jam is a live-action /animated sports comedy. The film combined the animated characters from Warner Bros’ The Looney Toons show and the live-action characters like Michale Jordan, Bill Murray, Wayne Knight, etc.

The film was criticized by a few critics for mixing the two worlds but audiences loved the film. A squad of aliens, including The Martian from Looney Toons, plots a coup to get their alien friends into this world and take over Looney Toons.

They challenge Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all the toons to a match of basketball. Secretly, the Martians steal the skills of NBA players like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and the group.

So in retaliation, Bugs Bunny pulls Michael Jordan into the Looney Toons World to win the basketball match.

The Basketball Diaries is a biographical drama about the writer Jim Carroll. The film is inspired by a novel of the same name, written by Jim Carroll about his failed childhood dream of becoming a basketball player.

The film received mixed reviews as critics felt that the plot is not clear about the message it wants to send.

Jim Carroll was a talented basketball player with bright prospects. His dreams slowly turn to nought as Carroll develops an unhealthy addiction to heroin.

His life and future are jeopardized. The film courted controversy and was named in multiple lawsuits after the school shootings in Heath High School and Columbine High School.

The dream sequence where Carroll dreams of shooting six of his schoolmates were eerily similar to those events.

The Mighty Macs is a sports drama about the work put in by the head coach Cathy Rush into training the basketball team at Immaculata College.

The film received mixed reviews for having the heart of a great film but a weak and bland script.

Cathay Rush is assigned as the head coach for the students of a small catholic college for girls. The college is on the verge of being sold, and Rush needs to train the girls to win matches without any equipment.

The film follows the work of the Hall of Fame coach Rush, who coached the girls to win three consecutive AIAW national titles.

She led the Mighty Macs to six consecutive final-four appearances.

Like Mike is a sports comedy with a bit of fantasy involved. The film was produced by NBA Productions and many NBA players made cameo appearances in the film.

It received a few negative reviews from critics, but the fans loved the film. It was declared a moderate hit with box office earnings of up to $62 million.

Calvin is an orphan and loves basketball. During one of their home games, Los Angeles Knights (a fictional team) donate free tickets to Calvin.

He happens to wear a pair of old sneakers used by Michael Jordan to the match and impresses the coach with his skills during half-time.

This lands him a chance to play for the Knights and to help his favourite team win.

Cornbread, Earl and Me is a drama about a promising life that was cut short. The film stars the NBA player Jamaal Wilkes as Cornbread.

Nathaniel Cornbread Hamilton is an African American youth with a promising future. He is a star basketball player who is set to join university with a basketball scholarship.

He is the hero of his neighbourhood and an inspiration to all. His young friends Earl and Wilford play street basketball at a nearby park and get caught in the rain.

As they plan to run back home, Cornbread is shot dead. The film is about the fallout.

Guarding Eddy is a sports drama like no other. It is inspired by a real-life incident that has been written into a story by Paul David Stewart.

The film was directed by Scott McKinsey in his feature film debut. Eddy is an autistic young man with developmental issues.

He has a strong desire and dreams to play basketball for the Los Angeles Clippers as a professional game.

He takes a bus and comes to LA with no money or contacts. After landing in a homeless shelter, he meets a kind lady who runs the shelter.

She introduces Eddy to a former basketball player and convinces him to take Eddy under his wing.

One on One is a sports drama that has a lot of heart. The film was written by Robby Benson and his father Jerry Segal.

The film received positive and good reviews from critics who praised the lead character for his naivete that hides a good moral backbone.

Henry Steele is a basketball player from a small town who comes to the Western University of Los Angeles on a basketball scholarship.

He hopes to impress his coach with his improvising gameplay, but his coach is not impressed. He insists on tying down Steele’s talent with a strict system.

He even benches the player and deals out harsh punishments hoping to force him to forfeit his four-year scholarship.

A lucky break comes when the star player is injured in a losing match, which forces the coach to send Steele out to play.

Defying the coach’s orders, Steele shoots the ball and wins the match for the team.

Believe In Me is a sports drama that is based on the real-life experiences of Jim Keith. The film was based on the novel Brief Garland, written by Harold Keith, the uncle of Jim Keith.

The film is set in the early 1960s in Oklahoma, where Clay Driscoll is hired to coach a high school basketball team.

After coming to the town, he realizes that the corrupt head of the school board uses his influence to relegate Driscoll to coach the girls' team and appoints his man to the boys' team.

With no other alternative, Driscoll and the girls' team learn to work together with discipline and hard work to build a winning team.

The St. Tammany Miracle is a film about a coach who comes to train a cash-strapped school basketball team to win matches.

It is a sports comedy and an inspirational movie. A small episcopalian all-girls high school hires a new female coach for their basketball team.

The team is high on hopes and fervour but low on funds. The school has to work from scratch to build the basketball team, equipment, and infrastructure as they have no precedent.

This uphill task falls on the new coach. After a few brick walls and bumps along the way, the team starts to function and show promise.

Teen Wolf is a supernatural comedy about a high school basketball player who turns into a werewolf due to a family curse.

The film stars the teen sensation Michael J. Fox, and it became a superfit film that spawned an animated series and sequels.

Scott is a high school basketball player. He often gets bullied by the opposite team player Mike who is also dating the girl of his dreams.

One day when he starts to experience weird changes and turns into a werewolf, he expects his life to be over.

However, it is just the start of his fame and a new phase of his life. It leads to him getting his girlfriend, his game, and his life back into perspective.

Drive, He Said is an independent film based on the novel of the same name by Jeremy Larner. It was also the directorial debut of Jack Nicholson, who co-wrote the screenplay with Larner and Terrence Mallick.

Although the performances of the cast were good, the plot lacked direction. The film revolves around a laconic basketball player, Hector.

He has a natural talent for the game, but he has many distractions as well. He is having an affair with his professor’s wife, and his college roommate is crazy and single-mindedly wants to avoid being drafted into the army.

Hector is also concerned about the draft and his family situation, so his game takes the last place on the priority list.

Forget Paris is a romantic comedy film co-written, directed, produced, and starring Billy Crystal. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with some feeling that the comedy was bland and sparse.

It can be considered a relationship drama set against the backdrop of the NBA. Mickey is an NBA referee.

When his father passes away, he goes to Paris to bury his father and meets the love of his life, Ellen.

After a brief courtship, they realize their love for each other and get married. However, constantly moving due to his refereeing job takes a toll on their marriage, and all their plans to reconcile seem for nought.

Home of the Giants is a sports crime drama. It takes a look at the dark underbelly of fame, sports, and fan worship.

The film was given positive reviews by magazines and review websites. Gar is a high school journalist who loves his town’s basketball team, just like everyone in the town.

His best friend Matt is the star player in the team and Gar loves and worships him. One day, Matt and the team talk Gar into doing something illegal, and now a drug dealer is stalking the team and Gar.

This puts a lot of pressure on Gar to protect his best friend and the team. At the same time, his own future is precarious due to their actions.

Celtic Pride is a sports comedy that was written by Judd Apatow and Colin Quinn. The film was intended as a spoof on the madness of sports fans.

However, it was not appreciated by the fans. They felt that the jokes were lacklustre, and the plot fell short.

Mike and Jimmy are two sports fans from Boston. They root for every Boston team, and during the NBA season, they are fanatical about the Boston Celtics.

Their madness reaches a peak as the playoffs between Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz reach game 7. They kidnap the star Shooter Guard of the Utah Jazz to ensure that the Celtics win the match.

Slam is a Chinese sports drama. The film follows the travails of three young high schoolers struggling to win the affection of the girl and their pride before school reopens.

Mouth and Monkey are two students getting ready to enter high school. While Mouth is a silent, insecure and shy kid, Monkey is a loudmouth, undersized, energetic kid.

They meet their cousin Jason who comes to Beijing and stirs up trouble with the local bullies. These bullies monopolize the basketball court and challenge the three to a match in the Adidas annual 3-on-3 street basketball tournament.

The Sixth Man is a sports comedy-drama starring Marlon Wayans. The film was panned by critics with negative reviews and the audiences were not too impressed either.

The film was described as a mild success. Two brothers, Antoine and Kenny are basketball players. They are very close to each other and work as a team on the court.

Sadly during one of their matches, Antoine suffers a heart stroke and dies by the time the match ends.

This devastates the team leading to poor performance. Unable to watch his brother lose, Antoine comes back as a ghost and helps the team win.

The Air Up There is a sports comedy film that made it to the Dishonorable Mention list on the Staten Island Advance.

The film was panned by critics as yet another movie of cultural imperialism and a formulaic plot line. An assistant coach of a basketball team at a university hopes to get a promotion when he brings in fresh new talent.

He views the tapes of a player from Kenya and plans to recruit him for the college team, but he gets more than what he bargains for when he lands in Kenya.

Both the coach and the player learn the new cultures and adjust to the new challenges to find the winning solution.

"The Redeem Team" documentary chronicles the journey of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball team as they sought redemption following a disappointing performance in the previous Olympics.

The film delves into the team's quest for gold in the Beijing Games, showcasing their determination to reclaim American basketball's dominance.

Through insightful interviews with players like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and coach Mike Krzyzewski, the documentary highlights the team's camaraderie and the challenges they faced.

It features previously unseen footage and offers an intimate look into their training in Las Vegas and their experiences in Beijing.

With a focus on honouring the team's memory and significance, the film sheds light on how the "Redeem Team" reestablished American basketball's supremacy on the global stage.

Eddie is a sports comedy that was directed by Steve Rash. The film was panned by critics and Whoopi Goldberg received a nomination for the Golden Razzie Award.

However, the audience had a good laugh and gave the film an A- rating. Eddie is an ardent fan of the New York Knicks and attends every match of theirs.

At one of their matches, she wins a chance to become the assistant coach of the team for half a season.

She immediately grabs the chance and runs with it. Impressed with her work, the team owner fires the head coach and appoints Eddie as the coach for the rest of their matches. Will the team win under Eddie?

Wo Ist Fred? is a German sports comedy about a fan rivalry. The film was directed by Anno Saul and starred the German superstar Til Schweiger in the titular role.

Fred is a basketball fan and plans to propose to his girlfriend at a packed basketball arena. His girlfriend decides to leave the decision to her spoiled brat of a son, Linus.

To bribe Linus, Fred tries to catch the basketball. And in his attempt to do so, he pretends to be a disabled man.

All goes well until a director observes this and decides to recruit him for a PR commercial. This ignites a rivalry between a disabled fan Ronnie and the faker Fred.

Jumping For Joy is a sports comedy-drama. It is a story set in 1964 when girls did not play basketball or participate in men’s sports.

The film was written and directed by Timothy J. Nelson, and it was the debut film of Lindsey Pulsipher, who played Bobbie Dean.

Bobbie Dean is a natural talent at basketball. She can teach a few tricks even to the pros of the game.

The only problem is that she is a girl and the game is a man’s game, so her talent goes unrecognized.

One day, a group of boys mistake her for a boy and invite her to play with them. Watching her talent, they are impressed, and soon, she starts to play at the college level until the truth is revealed that she is a girl.

The Old Music is a sports drama from Spain. The film is based on the story from Mario Camus, who also directed the film.

The Old Music was nominated for the performance of the lead pair of actors and received praise and accolades.

The film opens with a new coach arriving in the town of Lugo to teach basketball. He comes from Uruguay with the promise of making the local team basketball champions, but he hides a secret.

The coach has no clue about basketball and has his own agenda to find his lost love in the town.

He retains the old coach and bids time by learning about the sport from videos and books.

Streetballers is a sports drama about two junior basketball players. The film is an independent film with a small budget, but it earned a lot of respect from audiences.

It earned high per-screen viewership despite the lesser number of screens where it showed. Two friends from different racial and ethnic backgrounds meet on the street during basketball games and help each other through many tough times.

Despite their own dysfunctional families and financial and personal problems, they stand for each other, both on the court and off court. It is a beautiful film about friendship through sports.

Playoff is a biographical sports drama about the work of Ralph Klein. The film was directed by Israeli director Eran Riklis and was released in German, English, and Hebrew.

Max Stoller is a legendary basketball coach who trained the Israeli team to become the European champions in the late 1970s.

This made him a national hero and he was praised by all but it was all lost when his next job assignment was to coach the West German basketball team.

He managed to coach the mediocre team and made them the next European champion, and earned the ire and curses of all Israelis.