Top 5 Best Basketball Movies

Coach Carter - The Basketball Coach is a 2005 American teen sports biographical film starring Samuel L. Jackson and directed by Thomas Carter. The movie is based on the true story of high school basketball coach Ken Carter (played by Jackson) from Richmond High, who made headlines in 1999 when he suspended his undefeated basketball team due to their poor academic performance.

The script was written by John Gatins and Mark Schwahn, who also created the TV series One Tree Hill. The film features some plot elements inspired by the TV show The White Shadow, in which director Carter also starred. The cast includes Rob Brown, Channing Tatum, Debbi Morgan, Robert Ri'chard, and singer Ashanti. The sports action scenes were coordinated by the production company ReelSports. The film's original soundtrack, composed by Trevor Rabin, was released by Capitol Records on January 11, 2005. Coach Carter hit theaters in the United States on January 14, 2005, and grossed $76 million worldwide despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.

IMDb Rating: 7.3
Tomatometer: 64%
Audience Rating: 85%

Love & Basketball

Released on April 21, 2000, the film received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances (especially by Lathan and Epps), Prince-Bythewood's direction and screenplay, and the emotional depth of the film. Despite grossing $27.7 million worldwide on a production budget of $14–20 million, it gained a dedicated following over the years, cementing its status as a beloved cultural classic.

IMDb Rating: 7.2
Tomatometer: 85%
Audience Rating: 95%

High Flying Bird is a 2019 American sports drama directed by Steven Soderbergh, based on a story by André Holland and a screenplay by Tarell Alvin McCraney. The film stars Holland, Zazie Beetz, and Melvin Gregg, along with appearances by basketball players Reggie Jackson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Donovan Mitchell.

The story follows a sports agent who must execute a plan within 72 hours, offering a controversial opportunity to his client, a rookie basketball player, while the company is locked out. Shot entirely on an iPhone 8, it became Soderbergh's second film filmed with an iPhone after Unsane. The film premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival on January 27, 2019, and was released on Netflix on February 8, 2019. Critics praised its acting, Soderbergh's direction, the film's themes, editing, cinematography, and screenplay.

IMDb Rating: 6.2
Tomatometer: 91%
Audience Rating: 50%

Once Brothers is a 2010 sports documentary written and directed by Michael Tolajian. The film was co-produced by ESPN and NBA Entertainment for ESPN's 30 for 30 series.

The documentary captures the exciting moments of the talented Yugoslavian basketball team at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1990 FIBA World Championship. A standout moment is when the team prepares to play an exhibition game against the Boston Celtics, watching in awe as Larry Bird and Robert Parish warm up with jump shots, before Dražen Petrović systematically breaks down the Celtics' defense during the game. As Petrović and Vlade Divac moved to the NBA in 1989, they remained close friends, even though Divac quickly became a fan favorite with the Showtime Lakers, while Petrović struggled to find minutes on the Portland Trail Blazers, a team overloaded with guards. Petrović's tenure with Portland was short, but his talent and work ethic were praised in the film by Clyde Drexler and Rick Adelman. For those too young to remember Petrović's career, tragically cut short by a fatal car accident in 1993, the footage shown in Once Brothers offers an incredible portrait of a superstar who could have been.

IMDb Rating: 8.1
Audience Rating: 85%

Glory Road is a 2006 American sports drama directed by James Gartner, based on the true story of the events leading to the 1966 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. Josh Lucas stars as Don Haskins, the coach of Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso or UTEP), who assembled a starting lineup composed entirely of African-American players, the first in NCAA history. The film explores themes of racial segregation, discrimination, and student-athletics. Supporting roles are played by Jon Voight and Derek Luke.

Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Texas Western Productions, and Glory Road Productions, the film was distributed theatrically by Buena Vista Pictures and for home video by Buena Vista Home Entertainment. It was released in U.S. theaters on January 13, 2006, grossing $42.9 million at the box office, despite mixed reviews from critics. Glory Road was nominated for several awards, including the Humanitarian Award, and won the 2006 ESPY Award for Best Sports Movie.

IMDb Rating: 7.2
Tomatometer: 55%
Audience Rating: 81%