Professional basketball is one of the most popular sports worldwide. Reports suggest that its current viewership is at its all-time high and will only surge when the NBA season begins in October later this year.
According to National Geographic, the inventor of basketball was a Canadian-American gym teacher named James Naismith. In 1891, the 31-year-old taught physical education at the International YMCA Training School. Back then, people considered football and lacrosse to be some of the most thrilling sports; however, they were predominantly played in the summer.
Subsequently, Naismith noticed that due to New England’s stormy weather conditions, his students mostly had to spend their days indoors. During the winter, Americans played various sports, but their thrill was not as intense as the two previously mentioned.
Naismith’s goal was to create a sport that was uncomplicated yet fun. Furthermore, he wanted his students to get ample exercise without the risk of serious injury. Eventually, basketball was born, and its first-ever match was a highly physical affair. Over the years, the sport underwent a lot of development, and on June 6, 1946, the NBA came into existence.
Currently, fans of the sport widely consider the NBA as the most competitive and entertaining basketball league in the world. Some of the greatest basketball players of all time are Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, and more.
Here are some of the best basketball documentaries available on Netflix.
The Redeem Team
The Redeem Team chronicles the United States men’s Olympic basketball team’s journey at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. In the tournament’s final match, the USA faced Spain in an intense match, emerged victorious, and won the prestigious gold medal. Argentina came third and won the bronze medal. The American men’s Olympic basketball team’s achievement was a major milestone because they exited in the semi-finals in the 2004 edition of the tournament. The 2008 Olympic gold-winning team had star players like Kobe Bryant, Chris Bosh, and more, and every athlete was instrumental in their triumph.
Per Rotten Tomatoes, The Redeem Team’s synopsis reads, “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 Olympic Games Beijing 2008 following the previous team’s shocking performance four years earlier in Athens.”
It further reads, “The documentary offers a fascinating portrait of team building and features insightful interviews with athletes and coaches from Dwyane Wade and LeBron James to Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, who reflect on how The Redeem Team set a new standard for American basketball.”
The director of this project is Jon Weinbach. Furthermore, its executive producers include basketball stars such as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Untold: Malice at the Palace
Netflix’s Untold: Malice at the Palace is a docu-series that narrates the story of the infamous November 19, 2004, physical altercation between NBA players and fans in attendance at a game. Per reports, the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons were having a highly competitive bout on the fateful day. However, during its dying minutes, an intense brawl broke out, resulting in early stoppage. After the match, the NBA suspended and charged several players for their actions. Furthermore, authorities issued lifetime bans on five fans from attending Pistons home games.
According to this docuseries’ official trailer on YouTube, its synopsis reads, “November 19, 2004, is a day that will forever live in NBA history and forever redefine fan and athlete interaction. For the first time, we show the never-before-seen footage of that night and hear the story first hand from those that lived it, giving the players an opportunity to explain their actions and defend their character against a night that left their reputations stained both on and off the court.”
Floyd Russ directed Untold: Malice at the Palace. Moreover, it features interviews with several Indiana Pacers players and contains never-before-seen footage.
The Last Dance
The 10-part documentary series The Last Dance is a collaborative project by Netflix and ESPN Films. It showcases the life and illustrious career of Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time. With Jordan on their team, the Chicago Bulls dominated the NBA in the 1990s. His final season with them was during the 1997–98 NBA season, and this project sheds light on this endeavour.
Some of Michael Jordan’s biggest career achievements are as follows. Interestingly, he has won most of these accolades multiple times.
- NBA Most Valuable Player
- NBA Title
- Most Valuable Player in Finals
- NBA Top Scorer
- Defensive Player of the Year
- All-Star Game Most Valuable Player
- NBA Slam Dunk Champion
- Olympic Gold Medal
- Rookie of the Year
Per IMDb, The Last Dance’s synopsis reads, “Led by Michael Jordan, the 1990s Chicago Bulls establish themselves as one of the most notable dynasties in sports history.”
Basketball fans, The Last Dance is one of the best basketball documentaries. Its director is Jason Hehir, and it won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards.
