5 best basketball 30 for 30 documentaries on ESPN Plus
By Michael Bish
As we continue to dive into the 5 best ESPN Plus 30 for 30 for each sport, let’s take a look at the five best basketball ones!
The NBA season was suspended last week due to the coronavirus and we are not sure when it will resume if at all. But what if I told you there was a way to get your basketball fix? While we wait for the news of what will happen with the NBA this season, let’s dive into the five best basketball 30 for 30 presented by ESPN plus.
You can get ESPN Plus here, you can get along with your Disney Plus subscription.
5. I Hate Christian Laettner
It seems like everyone in the late 80s and early 90s hated Christian Laettner, except for Duke Blue Devil fans.
But why? Why did everyone hate this man?
It’s simple. Because he won.
Christian Laettner is the only player in NCAA history that appeared in the Final Four in all four years of his college career.
Laettner led the Duke Blue Devils to two National Championships while averaging 16 points a game. Not only did he have two championships but also had one of the most iconic shots in college basketball history which is still known as “The Shot”. The iconic shot took place in the 1992 NCAA tournament where he hit a game-winning buzzer-beater shot against Kentucky.
I Hate Christian Laettner details his iconic run for Duke and takes a dive into the hatred that surrounded him.
4. No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson was a player who changed the game of basketball. Known for his killer crossover, Iverson captured the hearts of many fans but especially those in the city where he first stepped on an NBA court, Philadelphia.
Growing up in Hampton, Virginia, Iverson was met with many obstacles that he had to dodge and maneuver around to make it out and become the basketball icon he came.
No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson, details the events that took place on Feb. 14, 1993, when 17-year-old Allen Iverson was bowling in his hometown of Hampton, VA with a group of friends. What was supposed to be a great night turned into a night that Iverson wouldn’t forget.
A brawl took place pitting Iverson’s black friends and a group of white patrons. This event would be a huge roadblock into Iverson’s young life.
No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson touches on race and redemption and is a must-watch on ESPN Plus!
3. The Fab Five
The Fab Five is a documentary that shines a new light on one of the most famous college basketball teams of all-time, the 1990s Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team. It details the recruitment of Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. The five players that dominated college basketball for two years.
The scandals that were associated with the NCAA, the arguments and how their legacies were tainted by NCAA violations. It is all detailed in this amazing hour and a half documentary.
You’ll hear from the fab five themselves as they detail their time at the University of Michigan. They talk about the racism they had to deal with for simply enjoying the game that they love most.
The Fab Five is a must-watch for all basketball fans!
2. Bad Boys
The Bad Boys are known for many things. One of those things is knocking Michael Jordan out of the playoffs multiple times in his early career.
But what this Detroit Pistons team is known for best is their relentless, gritty, hard-nosed players that refused to be out bullied every time they touched the hardwood.
They would simply do whatever it took to win. They were loved by many but hated by many more. Their attitude and never give up mentality landed them 2 championships in 1989 and 1990.
Bad Boys, directed by Zak Levitt, is a documentary that is a must-watch for all basketball fans as you’ll see just how and why they earned the nickname “Bad Boys”.
1. Survive and Advance
Easily one of my favorite 30 for 30 that ESPN has to offer!
Survive and Advance captures the story of the 1982-83 North Carolina State Wolfpack basketball team and their hard-fought road to a National Championship. Heading into the season, the Wolfpack had very high expectations and were expected to dominate the college basketball season.
Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, that wasn’t the case.
They finished the regular season with a very disappointing ten losses on their resume. Now, their only shot at winning the National Championship was to win the ACC Tournament.
From director Johnathan Hock, Survive and Advance shines a light on the head coach, Jim Valvano, and his remarkable impact to the N.C. State Wolfpack!
All of ESPN’s 30 for 30 is available for streaming on ESPN Plus.
Which ESPN 30 for 30 are you planning on watching? Let us know in the comments below!