Hoop Dreams

"An Extraordinary True Story."

Oct 14 1994 PG-13 2h 50m
Documentary, Drama, Sport

Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball program. Gates and Agee dream of NBA stardom, and with the support of their close-knit families, they battle the social and physical obstacles that stand in their way. This acclaimed documentary was shot over the course of five years.

Official Trailer
Plot

This documentary follows two young African-Americans through their high school years as they perfect their skills in basketball in the hopes of getting a college scholarship and eventually play in the NBA. Arthur Agee and William Gates both show great potential and are are actively recruited as they look to enter high school. They start off at the same high school but unable to pay an unexpected bill for tuition fees, Arthur has to withdraw and go to the local public high school. The film follows them through their four years of high school and their trials and tribulations: injuries, slumps and the never ending battle to maintain their grades. Through it all, their hoop dreams continue.

Written by

Steve James, Frederick Marx

Directed by

Steve James

Cast

William Gates, Arthur Agee, Emma Gates

Crew

View crew

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Kartemquin Films, Fine Line Features

Languages

English

Awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 23 wins & 9 nominations total

Trailers
Three Reasons: Hoop Dreams
Scores
# of Votes
28,662
Average Rating
8.3 out of 10
Metascore
98
Popularity
NA