Without Live Sports, These Are The Best Family-Friendly Basketball Movies To Watch
Apr 3, 2020, 4:44 PM | Updated: 4:48 pm
Bugs Bunny shakes hands with Michael Jordan at the Warner Bros. Studio store October 23, 1996 in New York City. The store, originally a three floor specialty store, has been redesigned into a nine floor department store with a cafe, interactive attractions, and a screening facility for computer animated 3-D Looney Tunes cartoons under the sponsorship of Jordan. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Liaison)
(Photo by Evan Agostini/Liaison)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Without live sports including NCAA and NBA games, we have to turn to movies, TV shows, and video games to watch a little bit of hoop.
We’ve put together a list of our favorite family-friendly basketball movies for you and your family to enjoy until games return to the hardwood.
Which of these movies is your family’s favorite? Let us know by tagging @kslsports on Twitter.
Spoiler Alert
Space Jam (1996) – Rated PG
Michael Jordan and the Tune Squad vs. the Monstars. An all-time classic. Space Jam is an entertaining mix of animation and reality based on the early part of Jordan’s career up to his first retirement. Without spoiling too much, a group of aliens come to earth and steal the talents of Jordan as well as fellow NBA players Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson, and Muggsy Bogues. Jordan teams up with Bugs Bunny and Co. to take on the alien Monstars.
The film had a budget of $80 million and grossed $230.4 million at the box office.
Available on: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Netflix
Hoosiers (1986) – Rated PG
This hardwood classic is based on the true story of a small-town high school basketball team in Indiana. Coach Norman Dale comes to the town of Hickory with a rough past. Through unusual coaching methods, Dale leads his team through the state tournament to the 1952 championship game.
The film had a budget of $6 million and grossed $28.6 million at the box office.
Available on: iTunes, Google Play
Like Mike (2002) – Rated PG
Do you remember those Gatorade commercials about being “Like Mike” Michael Jordan? If you enjoyed those, then you’ll love the movie, “Like Mike.” The movie is based on the tale of young Calvin Cambridge. He finds a pair of basketball shoes with the initials “MJ” written on them. Shortly after he finds the shoes, Cambridge is gifted with elite basketball skills. After defeating professional basketball star Tracy Reynolds in a contest, he signs a contract with Reynolds’ team, the Knights. The movie continues to show Cambridges’ NBA journey as well as his personal life.
The film had a budget of $30 million and grossed $62.3 million at the box office.
Available on: iTunes, Amazon, Google Play
Double Teamed (2002) – Rated TV-G
This Disney Channel original movie is based on the true story of two twins sisters, who love the game of volleyball. Heather and Heidi Burge change schools in hopes of landing a college scholarship by playing at their new school. At their new school, Palos Verdes High School, the girls end up playing basketball. The movie details their eventual path to the WNBA.
Available on: iTunes, Google Play, Disney+
Luck Of The Irish (2001) – Rated TV-G
Another Disney Channel original movie, Luck of the Irish shows the story of 15-year-old basketball player Kyle Johnson. The young basketball star learns that his school is putting on a Heritage Day event. Johnson learned about his true ancestry and more about his parents than he ever could have expected.
Available on: iTunes, Google Play, Disney+
