1. Free Spirits
When the NBA merged with the American Basketball Association in 1976, four ABA franchises joined the more established league - the Nets, Nuggets, Pacers and Spurs.
It has an average vote of 6.9 on TMDB.
2. Untold: Malice at the Palace
Key figures from an infamous 2004 incident between players and fans at an NBA game in Michigan discuss the fight, its fallout, and its lasting legacy.
It has an average vote of 7.121 on TMDB.
3. Detroit Pistons: 1988-1989 NBA Champions - Motor City Madness
The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 National Basketball Association season, and the conclusion of the 1989 NBA Playoffs. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Eastern Conference playoff champion Detroit Pistons and the Western Conference playoff champion Los Angeles Lakers.
4. Forgotten
From the glitzy sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard to the urban wasteland of Skid Row, "Forgotten" portrays the cruel reality of being homeless in Los Angeles and how these men and women cope with life on the streets of one of America's largest cities.
It has an average vote of 7.5 on TMDB.
5. Wattstax
A documentary film about the Afro-American Woodstock concert held in Los Angeles seven years after the Watts riots. Director Mel Stuart mixes footage from the concert with footage of the living conditions in the current-day Watts neighborhood.
It has an average vote of 6.8 on TMDB.
6. Rize
A documentary film that highlights two street derived dance styles, Clowning and Krumping, that came out of the low income neighborhoods of L.A.. Director David LaChapelle interviews each dance crew about how their unique dances evolved. A new and positive activity away from the drugs, guns, and gangs that ruled their neighborhood. A raw film about a growing sub-culture movements in America.
It has an average vote of 6.6 on TMDB.
7. L.A. Roll
As the pressures of daily life mount in a rapidly changing city, some residents turn to dance roller skating as an activity for release, creating a style unique to Los Angeles.
8. The Redeem Team
Using unprecedented Olympic footage and behind-the-scenes material, The Redeem Team tells the story of the US Olympic Men's Basketball Team’s quest for gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing following the previous team’s shocking performance four years earlier in Athens.
It has an average vote of 7.413 on TMDB.
9. Who Is Estaban
A documentary film following the life and times of former #1 overall national basketball prospect Estaban Weaver.
It has an average vote of 10 on TMDB.
10. Dear Esther
In 1989, a woman writes a letter to her mentor. She reminisces about a life-changing campaign they spearheaded to save a historic home, Irving Gill's Walter Luther Dodge House in Los Angeles, twenty years prior.
11. Stand
Raw and unflinching examination of the courageous life of basketball star and social justice activist Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Born Chris Jackson, he overcame tremendous adversity to reach the NBA and found his true calling when he converted to Islam. His decision not to stand for the national anthem, however, turned him from prodigy to pariah. Told candidly by Abdul-Rauf himself more than 20 years later it’s the remarkable story of one man who kept the faith and paved the way for a social justice movement.
It has an average vote of 6 on TMDB.
12. The Harlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World
"The Team that Changed the World," investigates the Globetrotters' impact socially and culturally, as well as their lasting effect on the NBA. Featuring interviews with basketball players, celebrities, politicians, and more, the documentary also shows how the Globetrotters continue to serve as "Ambassadors of Goodwill" and touch audiences around the world today.
It has an average vote of 7.5 on TMDB.
13. Sing!
Sing! is a 2001 American short documentary film about the Los Angeles Children's Chorus, directed by Freida Lee Mock. How do squeaky-voiced 8 year olds become amazing singers? Sing! tells the story of how a community group, amid severe cutbacks in the arts, is able to develop a children's chorus that is one of the best in the country. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.
14. Mon Clown (Mon Clown)
Documentary from France's TV channel Canal+ about the making of the 2007 film 'La Vie en Rose' and Marion Cotillard's road to the Oscar for her performance as French singer Édith Piaf.
It has an average vote of 7 on TMDB.
15. After the Game: A 20 Year Look at Three Former Athletes
Three women from a 1999 collegiate basketball team test their limits as they push to reach their athletic potential. Nearly 20 years later, they apply lessons learned from their playing days to different professional, off-the-court challenges.
It has an average vote of 6 on TMDB.
16. Salaam Dunk
In the West, we are often bombarded with dramatic and horrifying images of a violent and war-torn Iraq. This makes it easy to forget that people there do "regular" things... like play basketball. Salaam Dunk follows the American University of Iraq women's basketball team as they discover what it means to be students, athletes and friends. This is a story of triumph in the face of chaos and a testament to the perseverance of a handful of young Iraqi women. It shows us how sports can help build bridges of shared values, and potentially lead us toward a future of understanding within Iraq as well as abroad. Above all, Salaam Dunk is a film about basketball, friendship and the pain of losing those we love. From the joy of the team's first win to the pain of losing their coach forever, the film gives us an intimate glimpse into an Iraq we don't see on the news.
17. One Cent
Penny Hardaway's career as an NBA superstar didn't end the way he wanted it to. Back in his hometown of Memphis, he's helping a new generation of hoopers realize their dreams.
18. Candace Parker: Unapologetic
A wide-ranging, revealing, and often intimate portrait of WNBA player Candace Parker, one of the most transcendent women's sports stars in history.
19. Hoop Dreams
Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball program. Gates and Agee dream of NBA stardom, and with the support of their close-knit families, they battle the social and physical obstacles that stand in their way. This acclaimed documentary was shot over the course of five years.
It has an average vote of 7.6 on TMDB.
20. Through the Fire
"Through the Fire" chronicles the journey of Coney Island basketball star, Sebastian Telfair, from famed Lincoln High School straight to the NBA.
It has an average vote of 6.9 on TMDB.