10 worst basketball scenes in movies

Basketball can play a crucial role in movies. In some cases, it provides a platform where the main characters capture the essence of the film. In a few others, it gives a moment of levity or a turning point which allows the story to roll on with purpose. When delivered right, playing hoops can be a big part of a movie’s story.

Adam Sandler’s heated pickup game in prison in “The Longest Yard” is one such example. “Hustle,” which coincidentally features Sandler, is another one. And then there is Samuel Jackson’s Coach Carter masterpiece where the game became essential to the story.

Sometimes, though, a hoop scene could bring unintended results. Instead of coming up with a lighthearted moment or dramatic moment, things could turn cringy. In worst-case scenarios, such clips could become a meme for everyone to troll.

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Here are some basketball scenes in movies that could have been improved or done away with

#10 Thunderstruck (2012)

The story involves a kid played by Taylor Gray who mysteriously swapped hardcourt skills with then-OKC Thunder superstar Kevin Durant. From a bumbling wannabe, Brian Scene, Gray’s character, suddenly had unimaginable skills.

The part where Scene took on his high school team’s coaching staff and dunked on them was a bit over the top. It didn’t help that the production of the entire film was a little below par. Fans would need a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief to appreciate this part.

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#9 Teen Wolf (1985)

Michael J. Fox plays Scott Howard, a 17-year-old high school student who is obviously also a werewolf. In one of the basketball games of the movie, Howard was at the bottom of a pile of students going after a loose ball.

To everybody’s astonishment, Howard got the ball but came out of the scrum in his werewolf form. The scene came out bland.

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#8 Pleasantville (1998)

Released in 1998, the movie had an old-school, black-and-white theme. Playing the protagonists are a young Tobey Maguire (David) and the late Paul Walker (Skip Martin).

In one sequence, the two met in the middle of the court where David told Skip that Natalie Ramsey’s character would not date Skip. The frustrated Martin angrily flung the ball, which nearly went into the basket.

The shot was awkward at best and the reaction from the onlookers didn’t do justice to what the scene should have been.

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#7 The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Peter Parker and Flash Thompson is a classic confrontation in Spiderman stories. This time, they met on the court where Parker’s Spider-Man skills made a laughingstock out of the school bully.

The two met in the gym where Parker eventually humiliated Thompson with a thunderous dunk that broke the glass. Spider-Man jumped so high that he could have easily smashed the roof. The scene didn’t have the hilarity it probably wanted to come up with.

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#6 High School Musical 3 (2008)

Music was a central theme of the story. Having Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens do a duet in the middle of a basketball game just looked a little off. Many fans found the scene somewhat over the top or too cheesy.

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#5 Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Sigourney Weaver in space playing hoops is cool. Embarrassing Ron Perlman with his alien-like movies was strange and could have been done better.

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#4 Escape from LA (1996)

Basketball to the Death featuring Cuervo (Georges Corraface) and Snake (Kurt Russell) was just bad. Snake’s patch over one of his eyes made the scene even more incredulous. Both would have been dead had they been forced in real life to play the game with deadly stakes.

Michael Jordan, though, might not have wanted any part of these two nasty characters.

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#3 Catwoman (2004)

Halle Berry’s Catwoman and Benjamin Bratt’s Tom Lone met in the park for a pickup game. The feline hero or villain put on the moves that included a backflip off a wall. It was a scene that might have been unnecessary.

Berry is a delight to see on the big screen, just not as Catwoman playing basketball.

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#2 Cable Guy (1996)

Jim Carrey’s Cable Guy playing basketball is considered by many to be one of the worst basketball scenes. Carrey’s usual exaggerated comedy didn’t fit well in this scene.

The movie had several hilarious sequences, just not when the characters tried to play hoops.

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#1 The Super (1991)

The legendary Joe Pesci plays Louie Kritski in the movie. In one sequence in the film, he was on the playground playing basketball.

The entire scene left much to be desired. There was an element of lightheartedness to it but Pesci’s uncoordinated moves, including a dunk as the smallest guy on the court, might have been overdoing it.

Atlanta Hawks legend Spud Webb had nothing compared to that slam.