5 hoops-themed films & series for your basketball fanboy fix!
Photo credit: Toei Animation
By Kriel Ibarrola
Earlier, we dissected the easter eggs of the upcoming basketball animated film Space Jam: A New Legacy. But as much as we all want to sit back and watch how LeBron James will do justice to the original classic, we’ll have to wait until it hits theatres and HBO Max on July 14.
Lucky for us, there are plenty of films catering to the basketball genre that we can indulge on while we wait for the release of Space Jam 2.
From movies, series, documentaries, and even anime. There are tons of source material out there that would certainly ignite the basketball fan in you! Hoops-crazy Filipinos, check some of ‘em out here!
READ: ‘Space Jam 2’ spoiler alert! Don Cheadle reveals possible Michael Jordan cameo
Photo credit: Screen Grab from Basketball Science/True ID
- Basketball Science (2017)
While basketball is pretty much a physical activity, it’s not all brawn. In fact, the best players in the game all mastered not just the art form, but also the sweet science behind it.
This includes all the mechanics including shooting, passing, rebounding, defending, among other things.
Basketball science, a mini-series available on True ID, tackles all the intricacies behind our beloved sport.
Hosted by Renz Ongkiko with the help of one of the best basketball minds in the country, Quinito Henson, the mini-series breaks down basketball to its core.
The show also features several of PBA’s best players today.
Are you like Shaq and can’t make a free-throw to save your life? The first three episodes are for you! Other interesting topics include the ever-valuable 3-pointer, the popular tear-drop, and ankle-breaking crossovers, among others.
All three seasons are available to stream for free on the True ID website.
- Slam Dunk (1994)
Most Filipino are already quite familiar with the misadventures of Hanamichi Sakuragi. The red-headed, self-proclaimed “Hari ng Rebound,” after all, has a massive cult following in the country due to the popularity of the Japanese anime show Slam Dunk.
Based on the manga by Takehiko Inoue, Slam Dunk follows high school freshman Sakuragi, as he joins the basketball team in a bid to impress the girl of his dreams, Haruko Akagi.
The series follows Sakuragi’s growth from a hot-tempered neophyte to a phenomenal basketball player, in his bid to lead Shohoku high to become the best team in Japan.
Apart from the intense basketball action, Pinoys certainly embraced Slam Dunk for its humor and cast of interesting characters.
The anime has been discontinued after 101 episodes including four OVAs. The manga, however, featured the continuation of Shohoku’s conquest of the inter-high tournament, which was left out in the anime.
Photo credit: Toei Animation
READ: US announces Olympic men's basketball team roster
- Space Jam (1996)
Since we’ve already talked about the Space Jam sequel, it’s only fitting we pay tribute to the original film in 1996.
Released at the height of the popularity of His Airness Michael Jordan in the 90s, the beloved pop animated film showcased a fictionalized account of Jordan’s first retirement from the NBA.
We all know how he ventured into baseball before leading the Chicago Bulls to three more NBA titles. Space Jam, of course, added more spice to that by including Warner Bros. Looney Tunes to the picture.
Photo credit: spacejam.com/1996
Instead of teaming up with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, MJ collaborated with the likes of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Lola Bunny, among several other characters.
An inspirational film to the ballers of this generation, it continues to have a cult following to this day.
Before we nitpick LeBron’s acting in the upcoming sequel, let’s first look back at how Jordan set the bar in the first one!
- Basketball Almanac (2018)
To say that ball is life in the Philippines would be a huge understatement. It’s a part of our daily lives, regardless if we play it or not.
The country’s love and fascination for all things hoops stands the test of time. The mini-series Basketball Almanac, chronicles the Filipinos’ love for the game, as examined through the rich annals of Philippine history.
Host Lourd de Veyra perfectly takes viewers on a trip down memory lane, all the while educating the younger generation about the foundation that laid the ground for Philippine basketball today.
The show covers a slew of topics, from the early days of the PBA up to the rise of Fil-foreign players. It also features several intriguing interviews with some of the game’s all-time greats.
Each episode of Basketball Almanac is broken into three parts, and all 30 episodes are available on the True ID website.
- Coach Carter (2005)
Photo credit: @JasmineLWatkins/Twitter
As far as inspirational basketball movies go there’s a ton out there to choose from. The 1986 film Hoosiers still rank atop most lists and is the standard when it comes to basketball movies. Ray Allen and Denzel Washington’s father-and-son battle in Spike Lee’s He Got Game has also gotten rave reviews. Glory Road was also an excellent film that tackled early racism in sports.
While you can’t go wrong with any of these picks, Coach Carter will always have a soft spot for a lot of basketball fans.
Starring Samuel Jackson as the titular character, the film is based on the true story of Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter, who gained notoriety in 1999 for suspending his undefeated team due to poor academic results.
It also masterfully weaved through the lives of its players, as it dealt with serious issues like teenage pregnancy and gang influence.
Coach Carter’s team, the Oilers, were pretty much unstoppable with him at the helm. They eventually saw defeat in the final game of the movie.
This speech by gangbanger Timo Cruz (played by Rick Gonzales) still gives a lot of people goosebumps to this day.
So, which of the five above is your favorite basketball show? Let us know if you have more recos!
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