For as long as I can remember, college and professional basketball has been integrated. Shows you how much I know! Evidently in 1965/66 an untried college basketball coach, frustrated by his inability to recruit potential players for his El Paso, Texas team, signed the best players he could find, and they were black...from Detroit and from the Bronx. His focus on defense and his determination to win, made his motley little assortment of guys into the 1966 NCAA champs!
This movie stars Josh Lucas ("Sweet Home, Alabama" and "An Unfinished Life") as future Hall-of-Fame coach Don Haskins. Derek Luke ("Antoine Fisher" and "Pieces of April") is appealing as the legendary Bobby Joe Hill, the slickest guy on the court.
This movie is notable for two reasons:
- It depicts the beginnings of integration in basketball...and how challenging and scary it really was!
- The editing of this movie is some of the best I've ever seen in a sports movie!
This is a feel-good movie in every sense of the word. Disney released it in 2006 and I am positive you can find it on your rental lists.
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