Movies about sports and athletes have been dominating the screens worldwide for a very long time, mainly because these movies give people precisely what they crave: a burst of inspiration. Most of us are just stuck in our daily ruts and pace through our lives unintentionally. Movies that bring the story of an exceptional athlete to the bigger screen act as the perfect beacon of guidance for those who need inspiration the most, so you can always watch them before making a life-changing decision: enrolling into sports yourself, finally accepting your kinks and exploring fetish dating in the UK, or getting married – everything you always dreamt about.
However, movies about athletes and sports aren’t necessarily only about inspiring people. They also prove to be entertainment-packed and make for a fun activity on weekends with your dating partner. Don’t worry if you’re watching these movies alone, though, because they carry enough entertainment for everyone. Or you can simply stop being single and quickly find someone on the dating site to watch a movie with.
Regardless of how you plan your movie nights, here are the top 5 movies about basketball that bring inspiring and fun stories to your TV screens. These movies establish the importance of basketball as a sport shaping cultural values in America. All of these on-screen representations of the sport establish that basketball is a sport that is here to stay.
He Got Game
He Got Game is a 1998 American basketball movie that describes an intense family drama. Jake Shuttleworth, the father of a great basketball prospect Jesus Shuttleworth, spends six years in prison as he was found guilty of accidentally killing his wife in a domestic scuffle.
Now, Jake is approached by the Governor with a rather unusual offer. Jake has been offered to have his sentence reduce if he can convince his son Jesus to play for the Governor’s alma mater.
White Men Can’t Jump
The movie White Men Can’t Jump is a sports film that equally carries both comedy and drama.
Billy Hoyle, a white, former college basketball player, hustles street basketball players. Billy lets players assume that he can’t play because of his complexion and dressing before blowing them off with his serious skills. Sydney, a streetballer, gets beaten by Billy twice and decides to team up with him to make money by hustling other streetballers.
Sydney, however, double-crosses Billy to take revenge on his earlier defeats and causes him to lose over $1,700 to some streetballers who turn out to be Sydney’s friends. Through various turns and twists, the two find themselves teaming up with each other once again for a major two-on-two outdoor tournament.
The Way Back
Jack Cunningham is a former high school basketball superstar who walked away from the sport for his reasons. Years later, Jack struggles with his inner demons and develops an unhealthy affliction for alcohol. Now, he finds himself stuck at a meaningless job, divorced, and at a dead-end in his life.
However, Jack gets another shot at redemption when he is made the basketball coach for his alma mater. Jack now has the chance to make something meaningful out of his life again.
Hoosiers
Hoosiers is a 1986 basketball movie based on a loose representation of the story of the Milian High School team.
The plot revolves around a failed college basketball coach Norman Dale, hired to the new basketball team at a small high school in Hickory, Indiana. The star player of the team, Jimmy Chitwood, quits the team. However, Jimmy quits the team after persuasion from a teacher who wants Jimmy to focus on his studies for a better future.
With a handful of players, a lack of infrastructure, and terrible management at his disposal, Dale must find a way to take this small town court team to the next level and redeem his years as a failed coach.
Finding Forrester
The movie is about an unlikely friendship between a novelist and a young talented athlete who also has a passion for writing.
Although the central theme in Finding Forrester isn’t sports, the movie still revolves around the journey of Jamaal, a young gifted athlete. Jamaal is invited to attend a prestigious high school where some unforeseen events lead him to befriend an eccentric novelist.
This 2000 American drama film carries the main theme of mentorship with a touch of sports and athleticism to keep the audience engaged for a long time.
According to these statistics, sports movies have been a part of the entertainment industry for a long time. They have had a significant impact on the growth of the industry and continue to do so even today. This is because these movies bring a pretty realistic inspirational journey to the big screen to become a truly artistic experience. Besides, it is one of the greatest past times for any couple, no matter how long they are dating. You may enjoy sports movies with your partner even if you only met them on a dating site, but they will be equally as good if you live together for 20 years. All of the movies listed above provide entertainment as well as inspiration to those who need them.
Linda Raley is a Psychology Faculty student, a freelance writer on sex and relationships, and a relationship beginner psychologist-consultant.