5 best basketball movies of all time

White Men Can't Jump is among the best basketball movies ever made
White Men Can't Jump is among the best basketball movies ever made

#4 Glory Road (2006)

Glory Road highlights the difficulties facing black basketball players during the 1960s
Glory Road highlights the difficulties facing black basketball players during the 1960s

Aside from the excellent Remember the Titans, Walt Disney Pictures' films based on sporting stories are usually less than memorable, although, Glory Road stands out from the crowd. Set in Texas at the height of racial tensions, the true story follows Texas Western coach Don Haskins as he attempts to lead a predominantly black team to the NCAA national championship.

The on-court action is great, although Glory Road shines brightest when portraying the difficulties that black athletes had to contend with during the height of the civil rights movement. By the time the climatic 1966 N.C.A.A. championship game rolls around, it is apparent that there is a lot more than a basketball title at stake, and Glory Road provides a fascinating insight into one of the biggest games in the history of college basketball.


#3 White Men Can't Jump (1992)

White Men Can't Jump combines excellent dialogue with thrilling on-court action
White Men Can't Jump combines excellent dialogue with thrilling on-court action

White Men Can't Jump was released back in 1992, and the movie perfectly captures the essence of streetball. The film focuses on former college basketball star Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) and Sidney Deane (Wesley Snipes), who form an unlikely team to hustle the local neighborhood. The plot may be simple, although the memorable dialogue and chemistry between Harrelson and Snipes provide plenty of iconic moments, while Rosie Perez's performance as Sidney's Jeopardy obsessed girlfriend also contributes plenty to the story while not distracting from the on-court action.

Harrelson and Snipes' basketball skills also impressed several people on the set, with NBA Hall of Famer Bob Lanier suggesting that the duo could have played Division III college basketball. A remake with Detroit Pistons star Blake Griffin has been in development since 2017, although it will be incredibly tough to exceed the original.

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