Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
March Madness means only one thing: basketball. Lots and lots of basketball. But while NCAA teams duke it out on the court, we want to know which basketball movie wins the title on-screen. Click through for the stats on 20 contenders, then vote for your all-time favorite b-ball movie. Results will be announced April 2.
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Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/above-the-rim/8857/main' target='blank'>'Above the Rim'</a> (1994)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/duane-martin/45952/main' target='blank'>Duane Martin</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/leon/41837/main' target='blank'>Leon</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 5 best basketball movie of all time by CollegeHoops.net, and No. 10 by IGN.com ... Marks one of <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/tupac-shakur/64741/main' target='blank'>Tupac Shakur's</a> best acting performances ... Features the classic hip-hop track <a href='http://music.aol.com/song/regulate/9081175' target='blank'>'Regulate'</a> by <a href='http://music.aol.com/artist/warren-g/44720/main' target='blank'>Warren G</a> on the soundtrack.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-air-up-there/8737/main' target='blank'>'The Air Up There'</a> (1994)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/kevin-bacon/3164/main' target='blank'>Kevin Bacon</a>, Charles Gitonga Maina<br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 5 best basketball movie of all time on SportsIllustrated.com, and No. 9 by CollegeHoops.net ... Some scenes are based on the b-ball style of the Bahr Brothers, the same duo who rumoredly inspired <a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/white-men-cant-jump/6250/main ' target='blank'>'White Men Can't Jump.'</a>
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-basketball-diaries/1305/main' target='blank'>'The Basketball Diaries'</a> (1995)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/leonardo-dicaprio/18926/main' target='blank'>Leonardo DiCaprio</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/mark-wahlberg/198251/main' target='blank'>Mark Wahlberg</a><br /><b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/bruno-kirby/38448/main' target='blank'>Bruno Kirby</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> First film in which DiCaprio received top billing ... Based on the book by Jim Carroll, which was basically a collection of diary entries he wrote as a young teen.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/blue-chips/8802/main' target='blank'>'Blue Chips'</a> (1994)
<b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/nick-nolte/52916/main' target='blank'>Nick Nolte</a><br /><b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/shaquille-oneal/197274/main' target='blank'>Shaquille O'Neal</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/anfernee-penny-hardaway/196229/main' target='blank'>Penny Hardaway</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 7 best basketball movie of all time by CollegeHoops.net, and No. 3 by AssociatedContent.com ... Nolte shadowed <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/bobby-knight/97681/main' target='blank'>Bobby Knight</a> (who appears in the film as a rival coach) to prepare for the role.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/coach-carter/19345/main' target='blank'>'Coach Carter'</a> (2005)
<b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/samuel-l-jackson/34866/main' target='blank'>Samuel L. Jackson</a><br /><b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/rob-brown/281308/main' target='blank'>Rob Brown</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/rick-gonzalez/318786/main' target='blank'>Rick Gonzalez</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 7 best basketball movie of all time by IGN.com ... Earned nominations from the ESPY Awards, NAACP Image Awards, MTV Movie Awards and People's Choice Awards ... Grossed $67 million.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/cornbread-earl-and-me/23439/main' target='blank'>'Cornbread, Earl and Me'</a> (1975)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/keith-wilkes/76314/main' target='blank'>Jamaal Wilkes</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/laurence-fishburne/23625/main' target='blank'>Laurence Fishburne</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Featured a 13-year-old Fishburne, making his film debut ... Wilkes was an All-American basketball player at UCLA and won three NBA Championship rings.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/fast-break/33206/main' target='blank'>'Fast Break'</a> (1979)
<b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/gabe-kaplan/36869/main' target='blank'>Gabe Kaplan</a><br /><b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/bernard-king/120524/main' target='blank'>Bernard King</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/harold-sylvester/69450/main' target='blank'>Harold Sylvester</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 7 best basketball movie of all time by AssociatedContent.com ... Marked film debut of Kaplan (<a href='http://television.aol.com/show/welcome-back-kotter/233571/main' target='blank'>'Welcome Back, Kotter'</a>) and also featured a teenage <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/laurence-fishburne/23625/main' target='blank'>Laurence Fishburne.</a>
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-fish-that-saved-pittsburgh/33205/main' target='blank'>'The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh'</a> (1979)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/julius-dr-j-erving/22063/main' target='blank'>Julius Erving</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/kareem-abdul-jabbar/89/main' target='blank'>Kareem Abdul-Jabbar</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 2 basketball movie of all time on SportsIllustrated.com, and No. 6 by AssociatedContent.com ... NFL star Donovan McNabb's favorite movie ... <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/cher/12664/main' target='blank'>Cher</a> was originally cast in <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/stockard-channing/12304/main' target='blank'>Stockard Channing's</a> role but dropped out at the last minute.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorites
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/glory-road/21800/main' target='blank'>'Glory Road'</a> (2006)
<b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/josh-lucas/187022/main' target='blank'>Josh Lucas</a><br /><b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/derek-luke/330665/main' target='blank'>Derek Luke</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Best Sports Movie winner at the 2006 ESPY Awards ... Ranked No. 2 basketball movie of all time by AssociatedContent.com ... Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich was offered a role in the movie.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/go-man-go/33204/main' target='blank'>'Go, Man, Go'</a> (1954)
<b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/dane-clark/13353/main' target='blank'>Dane Clark</a><br /><b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/sidney-poitier/106725/main' target='blank'>Sidney Poitier</a>, Harlem Globetrotters<br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 7 best basketball movie of all time by CollegeHoops.net, and No. 8 by IGN.com ... In 1954 review, New York Times called it "a lively little independent picture."
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-heart-of-the-game/24689/main' target='blank'>'The Heart of the Game'</a> (2006)
<b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/bill-resler/528390/main' target='blank'>Bill Resler</a><br /><b>Star Player:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/darnellia-russell/528389/main' target='blank'>Darnellia Russell</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked No. 28 on RottenTomatoes.com's list of best-reviewed sports movies of all time ... Narrated by Ludacris ... Nominated for WGA Documentary award.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/he-got-game/2320/main' target='blank'>'He Got Game'</a> (1998)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/ray-allen/130395/main' target='blank'>Ray Allen</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/denzel-washington/74843/main' target='blank'>Denzel Washington</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/spike-lee/99175/main' target='blank'>Spike Lee's</a> first joint to open No. 1 at the box office ... Nominated for three NAACP Awards ... <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/michael-jordan/36302/main' target=blank'>Michael Jordan</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/shaquille-oneal/197274/main' target='blank'>Shaquille O'Neal</a> and <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/charles-barkley/3961/main' target='blank'>Charles Barkley</a> all play themselves, while <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/rick-fox/279138/main' target='blank'>Rick Fox</a> makes third acting appearance.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/hoop-dreams/1125/main' target='blank'>'Hoop Dreams'</a> (1994)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/william-gates/501502/main' target='blank'>William Gates</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/arthur-agee/198622/main' target='blank'>Arthur Agee</a><b>Key Stats:</b> Entered into National Film Registry in 2005 ... Exclusion from Oscars' Best Documentary category led to such upheaval the Academy changed process by which films were nominated ... Named best film of 1990s by Roger Ebert.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/hoosiers/18427/main' target='blank'>'Hoosiers'</a> (1986)
<b>Coach:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/gene-hackman/29486/main' target='blank'>Gene Hackman</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Entered into National Film Registry in 2001 ... Ranked fourth in Moviefone's <a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie-photo/best-sports-movies' target='blank'>Top 25 Sports Movies of All Time</a> ... ESPN.com and USA Today's pick for No. 1 best sports movie ... Nominated for two Academy Awards.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/love-and-basketball/7328/main' target='blank'>'Love & Basketball'</a> (2000)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/sanaa-lathan/237516/main' target='blank'>Sanaa Lathan</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/omar-epps/21960/main' target='blank'>Omar Epps</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked 26th on EW.com's list of 30 top sports movies ... Nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards and four NAACP Awards ... Ranked No. 5 best basketball movie of all time by CollegeHoops.net and IGN.com.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/semi-pro/28058/main' target='blank'>'Semi-Pro'</a> (2008)
<b>Coach/Player/Owner:</b> <href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/will-ferrell/224449/main' target='blank'>Will Ferrell</a><br /><b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/andre-benjamin/368726/main' target='blank'>Andre Benjamin</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/woody-harrelson/30548/main' target='blank'>Woody Harrelson</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ferrell's fourth sports comedy in as many years ... Features appearance by sports movie legend <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/jackie-earle-haley/29701/main' target=blank'>Jackie Earle Haley</a> (the original <a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-bad-news-bears-1976/16573/main' target='blank'>'Bad News Bears'<a/>) ... Has grossed $24 million to date.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/space-jam/3008/main' target='blank'>'Space Jam'</a> (1996)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/michael-jordan/36302/main' target='blank'>Michael Jordan</a>, Bugs Bunny<br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Grossed $90 million at the box office ... Also features appearances by <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/larry-bird/6281/main' target='blank'>Larry Bird</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/patrick-ewing/22383/main' target='blank'>Patrick Ewing</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/charles-barkley/3961/main' target='blank'>Charles Barkley</a> and more NBA greats ... <a href='http://music.aol.com/artist/r-kelly/45175/main' target='blank'>R. Kelly</a> won Grammy for soundtrack single <a href='http://music.aol.com/song/i-believe-i-can-fly/5058819' target='blank'>'I Believe I Can Fly.'</a>
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/through-the-fire/24873/main' target='blank'>'Through the Fire'</a> (2006)
<b>Star Player:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/sebastian-telfair/433241/main' target='blank'>Sebastian Telfair</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Won Audience Award for Best Documentary at AFI Fest ... Released by ESPN Films ... A sequel has reportedly been in the works, featuring Abraham Lincoln High School's latest phenom, Lance Stephenson.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/white-men-cant-jump/6250/main' target='blank'>'White Men Can't Jump'</a> (1992)
<b>Star Players:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/woody-harrelson/30548/main' target='blank'>Woody Harrelson</a>, <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/wesley-snipes/66675/main' target='blank'>Wesley Snipes</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Ranked 13th best sports movie of all time by ESPN.com, and 12th in Moviefone's <a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie-photo/best-sports-movies' target='blank'>Top 25 Sports Movies list</a> ... Basketball legend Bob Lanier worked with the actors behind the scenes.
Best Basketball Movies: Vote for Your Favorite
<a href='http://movies.aol.com/movie/the-year-of-the-yao/21986/main' target='blank'>'The Year of the Yao'</a> (2005)
<b>Star Player:</b> <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/yao-ming/412318/main' target='blank'>Yao Ming</a><br /><b>Key Stats:</b> Directors <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/adam-del-deo/273512/main' target='blank'>Adam Del Deo</a> and <a href='http://movies.aol.com/celebrity/james-d-stern/222684/main' target='blank'>James D. Stern</a> originally intended to follow the assimilation of several international players into the NBA, but instead honed in on Ming ... Features sound bytes on Ming from Bill Clinton ... Co-produced by the NBA.
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