HOOP DREAMS was released 32 years ago today.
Originally planned as a 30-minute PBS special, Steve James’s documentary grew into a three-hour portrait of two Chicago teenagers chasing basketball dreams, filmed over five years and 250 hours of footage.
I see many kids working out like a PRO when theres no need for it right now. Hella dribbles, hella isolation stuff like your Luka or James harden at the top of the key. Aint nobody playing like that. Work on catch & shoot. Catch & drive. Catch & pass & get it back. It TRANSLATES!
I’ve noticed parents who actually had successful sports careers are usually the quietest at games. They let their kids play and coaches coach. The loudest parents are often trying to live the career they never had through their kids. Let the kids have THEIR journey.
Random call from an unknown number.
It was the dad of a kid I coached for one year. She was a transfer, and I helped her earn a scholarship. He said I’d been on his mind and wanted me to know what a blessing I was to his family.
Messages like that always come right on time❤️
Rajon Rondo tells Kendrick Perkins to his face that he refuses to run up the score in NBA youth basketball
"whenever I get up 30 I challenge my guys to do different things. I stop allowing fast break layups and I work on execution and then I'll maybe try different defensive schemes"
"I'm not going to just keep applying pressure trying to beat you by 90 points I do not do that...I'm obviously trying to play in different tournaments to where I'm not winning by 30 or 40"
"people called and they was like do you guys want to play 17? I was like perfect please. So like I said I'm always looking for a challenge...If I'm winning about 70 40 57 it's there it's no point of me playing like I don't want to waste the parents money"
I remember asking assistant coach Mo Cheeks, what’s harder to do? Workout after practice or before?? I only asked cuz by time I would get to the gym, Russ was already done in the morning and I usually got mine in after practice. Mo like, “coming in before practice is probably harder”…since then, it’s been my routine….a lot of people looked at the emotions on the court and thought Russ was loud, nah to me, he was quiet and methodical. He lead by example and once the lights were bright, he let everything out and experienced pure freedom. It was inspiring as his teammate and everywhere I went, I seen it inspire people from all walks of life, crazy thing is, he didn’t say much, he just showed up. For 18 years. This basketball life is sacred to us as professionals, what we put into that court means everything. Some of us wish we could go back and do things with a little more intent and some can just wipe their hands and be satisfied with the time spent. Who u gonna be? We know what zero was on…keep inspiring in the next phase of life champ. I don’t care what happens, can’t erase what it was…The first YNs, finals run in our early 20s, all star games, seeing each other get injured and bounce back, the bus rides, plane rides, card games, jokes and arguments, the whole thing, memorable!! …to the whole Westbrook family, Nina, the kids, mama Westbrook, big Russ, Ray, Donnell, everybody from luezinger high and ucla and many more that I’m forgettin, much love and Congratulations on a iconic career.