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The NBA boasted a significant history back in the 18th century. The popular sport sprouted in China and was later introduced in the USA in 1939. Ever since, the popularity has grown more prominent due to having billions of followers on social media platforms as well as on the offline space.
It is estimated that about 400 million people from different parts of the world are basketball fans. College basketball is equally loved, which explains why NCAA basketball picks are of special interest to fans worldwide.
Movie directors have used fictional characters to create memorable films. The world remembers fictional basketball hoopers such as Foghorn Leghorn, Jesus Shuttleworth, and many more. Some basket films turned out to be the first March Madness in years, honoring the greatest Hollywood basketballers. Below are the six college NBA films that you can’t miss. Beware, they may turn you into a couch potato and eyes glued to the very last scene.
White Men Can’t Jump
It is a comedy-drama movie released in 1992 and runs for about one hour and 55 minutes. The main characters include Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes. Woody Harrelson, who features as Billy Hoyle, acts as a former college basketball player who earns a living by hustling street ballers. Well, he has an assumption that he can’t play basketball because of his skin color. He pairs with a confident guy named Sydney, and both make money by pairing each other and asking people to bet on who would win—betting against each other sounds like a good idea while playing basketball compared to playing online. The director showcases basketball scenes on the bench and the ground with a comic adroitness. Rossie, Harrelson’s girlfriend, acts as a third wheel to the dishonest and entertaining movie.
Hoop Dreams
The NBA film was released in 1994 and captured the attention of many to date. It is three hours long but ensures viewers get the March of madness anytime. The engaging movie is about two African-American high schoolers who have a dream of becoming professional basketball players. Their journey is displayed as brutal, hailing from poor backgrounds and enduring difficult training. Despite the harrowing voyage, the duo is determined to adopt the foreign environment to the letter. The engaging movie covers moving scenes of race, social class, and sheer awesomeness.
He Got Game
The movie is such a deity, the most revered figure among basketball films in the 90s. The film stars the most famous actor in Hollywood, Denzel Washington. The film takes two hours and precisely 17 minutes of the viewer’s time, leaving them thoroughly entertained. Denzel stars as Jake Shuttlesworth, a father of Jesus Shuttlesworth, the top basketball play in the country. The story unfolds how Jake Shuttlesworth is released from prison for a week to persuade his son. The deal is to ask Jesus Shuttleworth to play for the governor’s alma mater. If Jake’s son agrees to play, he is promised an early release from prison. The movie depicts Jesus’s emotions, and it takes time to convince him. Jesus struggles to forgive Jake Shuttlesworth, who is responsible for the death of his mother.
Coach Carter
Coach Carter is a famous movie based on a true story and features Hollywood legend, Samuel L. Jackson as the California high school basketball coach. Jackson arrives at California high school as a volunteer coach who demands respect and changes rules. He is determined to change the illusion that the success of black students is only found in the world of rap and sports rather than in class. The new coach issues a contract that demands maintaining decent grades to stay on the team. There is drama as Carter locks the gymnasium forfeiting games and endangering the team’s title after some players breached his contract. Towards the end of the movie, six of the players joined college, and five won scholarships. According to Carter, he won lives, not games.
Space Jam
The world cannot have the best basketball films without the nod to Michael Jordan. Space Jam is a comedy movie that features superstars such as Michael Jordan, Wayne Knight, and Theresa Randle. The story is about a young Michael who desires to play in the championship teams at North Carolina and later joins the NBA. The exciting tale unfolds the ups and downs of Michael’s basketball career. The movie was released in 1996 and kept viewers glued on the screens for 88 minutes.
Glory Road
It is among movies that begin with archival footage of the changing times. The film opens up in the mid-1960s where things are moving fast, and change is embraced at Texas Western University. Don Haskins appears to take over the basketball team. Haskins does not ask for help to recruit team members. He goes ahead and gets seven black players who have little chance to attend school to fill his team. However, Don faces the heat, especially when he starts five African-American players in the National Championship game.
With the above list of NBA films, viewers have nothing less to expect rather than a March madness experience.