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If there’s something that excites us in the film industry, aside from a summer blockbuster, it’s a good sports film. They often can be a hit or miss, but nowadays some of these movies offer a touch of nostalgia, certainly taking you down memory lane.
Let’s be clear, this isn’t a ranking of every basketball movie; this is a ranking of the best basketball movies in their own right. You’ll find the sort of variance that might just inspire you to rewatch these classics. From dramas to comedies, these movies are memorable above all else. Check out the ranking below.
Uncle Drew is one of the more fun movies of its kind. Playing off the character Nike got behind, Kyrie Irving plays an old docile man who gets loose on the basketball court. With a who’s who of comedians and former players involved, it’s corny enough to be funny, but not overly cheesy. There really is something for everyone.
Starring Kadeem Hardison and Marlon Wayans, The 6th Man follows two brothers who take college basketball by storm. That was, until the unfortunate death of Wayans’ character, Kenny Tyler. Their basketball team then had a lesser chance to win, but Antoine Tyler (Hardison) found ways to keep them afloat.
One of the most memorable basketball movies of all time is this cult classic film. Starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, White Men Can’t Jump plays off the idea that white men aren’t coordinated of skillful enough to play streetball well. The protagonist, Billy Hoyle (Harrelson), hustles people by acting as if he can’t play, before eventually winning his games. Sidney Deane (Snipes) gives his respect to Billy — who has beaten him on two occasions — and helps facilitate ways for them to come up even bigger on the streetball circuit. Ultimately, madness ensues as a hustler’s lifestyle would.
Another classic, Just Wright stars Common and Queen Latifah. The Chicago rapper plays Scott McKnight, the star guard for the New Jersey Nets, while Latifah portrays Leslie Wright, a physical therapist whose luck with men has been short. A slew of cameos from the NBA players at the time helped add legitimacy to the film, and even Emmy-nominated actress Phylicia Rashad appears in this film as Scott’s mother, Ella McKnight. It’s a fun movie with cool twists that eventually get you to the expected and inevitable happy ending.
Like Mike helped put Bow Wow on the film industry map. At the time, he was 15 years old and already growing a successful rap career, so it seemed like the natural step was breaking into movies. Growing your brand in entertainment is an age-old practice, and the Ohio-born rapper picked up on it early. The movie features Morris Chestnut as the star player not wanting to deal with a kid’s antics, and Calvin Cambridge (Bow Wow) eventually learns what we all did: It’s got to be the shoes!
Juwanna Mann’s relevance is still off the charts. Especially these days, with some recent Dave Chappelle bits about topics surrounding its plot. Jamal Jefferies (Miguel Núñez Jr.) is your typical egotistical star player who gets humbled with a suspension. One thing leads to another, and he somehow ends up dressed in drag and playing in the WNBA alongside team captain Michelle Langford (Vivica A. Fox) and Latisha Jansen (Kim Wayans). Juwanna Mann is a fun film from the perspective of a man infiltrating the WNBA, and how he would fare.
We couldn’t rank basketball movies without including Love & Basketball. Admittedly, I think the movie is a bit more about love than sports; but we can’t ignore the ways in which the game is utilized in the film to push that sentiment. The idea of playing someone for their heart started right here in this movie. With Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps at the helm, Love & Basketball is indisputably a generational classic.
The 1990s film scene saw a lot of street life interwoven with another fixture. Above The Rim is extremely emblematic of that time. With a star-studded cast, the film portrayed basketball drama in a way audiences had never seen before. This was also Tupac Shakur’s final appearance in a film, which released about two years before his untimely death. If you’re into digging the crates for movies the streets stamped with approval, this is one that certainly fits the bill.
Based on a true story, this impactful film saw Samuel L. Jackson take on the role of Coach Ken Carter. His mission was to show his team a way to be defined as more than just student athletes. He benches his whole team during a winning streak when they start to struggle academically. Out of all the movies on this list, Coach Carter has probably one of the best soundtracks. A movie with a message, it’s also one of the standout performances of Jackson’s career.
In Hustle, Adam Sandler brings us into the world of an NBA scout as Stanley Beren. And what a frenetic world it is. Stanely believes he’s found the next great NBA prospect and stops at no lengths to get him over to the league. However, the time in between is filled with every obstacle you can imagine. The movie also included appearances from Queen Latifah as Stanley’s wife, and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.
He Got Game is one of the most iconic movies ever. So, we would be remiss not to include it. Starring Denzel Washington and a not-quite-yet rookie Ray Allen as a father-son combo, the movie is a coming-of-age story that examines absenteeism, the criminal justice system, and redemption. Although Allen’s portrayal of Jesus Shuttlesworth isn’t anything to write home about, Washington brings the heat as an imperfect father figure who’s always trying to get it right.
Will Ferrell plays Jackie Moon in Semi-Pro, a film that satirically looks back at the early days of ABA basketball before the NBA merger. It’s an extremely charming movie that also gives Andre 3000 a chance to flex his comedic chops as Clarence. This movie earns a top five placement because of “Love Me Sexy” alone. And if you’re not familiar, get familiar.
This 1996 film could be one of the most underrated sports movies ever. Whoopi Goldberg plays Eddie, the New York Knicks’ number one fan who wins an opportunity to coach the team for a day. Obviously, madness ensues, but Goldberg’s character becomes the heartbeat of the city. Offering one of the best plots that you’ll find, Eddie’s comedy is legit and unforced. You’d be hard pressed to find a more entertaining basketball flick.
Blue Chips gave the world its first look at Shaquille O’Neal on the big screen. Playing off the trope of the out-of-control Bobby Knight-type head coach, Nick Nolte plays college basketball coach Pete Bell. After doing the most with his outbursts, Bell is tasked with turning his career around in a more subdued and tame manner. Blue Chips is widely regarded as one of the best basketball performances on film. Any ranking would be incomplete without it.
Space Jam is unequivocally the most famous basketball movie ever. Taking fiction to another level, the Warner Bros. cartoon characters team up with the most celebrated basketball player of all time: Michael Jordan. Together, they try to save Earth in a massive game against the towering Monstars. I know that it sounds over the top, but that’s because it is. Space Jam is as ’90s as it gets. And in a vacuum, it showcases so much of what made that decade so special.
