More Than a Game: Don’t give a shit about basketball? See it anyway.

LeBron James is a household name, familiar even to those who know
nothing about basketball. Thankfully, More Than a Game is about more
than LeBron James and, as a result, could reach a far wider audience
than the game’s traditional fan base.

Game‘s story mirrors the clichéd sports-feature-film
trajectory so uncannily, at times it’s hard to believe you’re watching
a documentary. And man alive, what a trajectory: In order to stay
close, a ragtag team of black childhood friends from the poor part of
Akron, Ohio—led by a rookie coach and father of one of the
players—decides to attend and play for a mostly white Catholic
high school called St. Vincent-St. Mary’s. Against adversity, team
gains rank and blows minds; team grows overconfident, defies coach, and
suffers crushing defeat; team recommits to coach and refocuses for a
last attempt at victory.

Director and Akron native Kristopher Belman was studying at Loyola
Marymount University, and after reading a story about the team choosing
St. Vincent-St. Mary’s out of friendship, he began Game as what was
supposed to be a 10-minute school project. (He got a B+.) Since Belman
was a student, he was able to attend one practice at a time when media
were swarming St. Vincent-St Mary’s to get at LeBron James, the
standout star of what had become known as the “Fab Five.” Belman
returned the next day, without permission, and eventually became part
of the team’s entourage, documenting its rise through the ranks of
high-school basketball.

Despite the frenzy, James—who, at just 18, was the number-one
pick in the 2003 NBA draft and became the youngest-ever Rookie of the
Year (and has been named NBA All-Star every year since)—shares
equal screen time with his teammates and coach. This is More Than a
Game‘s coup. Belman masterfully interlaces rich interviews with
enthralling game footage, aided by a stellar soundtrack featuring
Jay-Z, Jurassic 5, and T.I. The formula renders subplots like the
dynamic between Coach Dru Joyce III and his son as engaging as anything
on the court. The result is truly moving. I haven’t watched the NBA
since Gary Payton left the Sonics, but this film gave me chills. Go see
it—even if you don’t give a shit about basketball.