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Upcoming NBA and Basketball Movies Every Fan Should be Excited About

Published 09/26/2020, 12:49 PM EDT

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Over the years, we’ve enjoyed several basketball movies and documentaries as fans of the sport. From enjoying the magic in Space Jam to getting inspired by Coach Carter, there’s a diverse list of films based on basketball. 2021 boasts the release of three eagerly anticipated movies that relate to the NBA!

How 2021 will take NBA fans through a rollercoaster of emotions

In this pandemic struck year, ESPN and Netflix partnered to push the release of ‘The Last Dance,’ a ten-part docuseries chronicling the legacy of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. It received tremendous response among fans and uplifted the ever-soaring stature of ‘His Airness’ Michael Jordan. 

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Witnessing a dramatic rendition of the Bulls’ dominant decade refreshed everyone’s memories and added a whole new perspective to it!

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Likewise, 2021 will bless NBA fans with the release of the ‘Showtime’ documentary, focusing on Magic Johnson and the Lakers’ journey during their championship triumphs. It will indeed be a treat to watch, considering the amount of success and reverence the 80s’ Lakers earned during that decade. 


The feature film documentary is currently untitled and is produced by XTR, H.wood Media, NSV, and Delirio Films. Magic recently provided fans with an update on the documentary. He posted a picture from the Lakers’ facility while filming. 

A fitting Kobe Bryant tribute through a documentary on the 2008 ‘Redeem Team’

The 2008 USA men’s basketball team clinched gold at the Olympics, defeating Spain in the final. But the victory had to be earned through blood sweat and tears by twelve athletes from the NBA. 

The team brought basketball glory once again to the United States, after the 2004 games at Athens proved to be an embarrassing outing for a list of talented stars. Hence the gold medal victory at Beijing was indeed an emotional one. 

Kobe Bryant led the star-studded team and instilled his undying winning mentality to the entire roster. Kobe just proved to be the perfect leader among the list of insanely talented NBA stars present in the roster.

During this period, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant developed a strong bond as teammates and admired each other. There are plenty of moments off-court moments that demonstrate the team’s camaraderie, which will undoubtedly warm the hearts of fans all around the world. 

A few months ago, Dwyane Wade confirmed that he is the executive producer of a project that is compiling a 2008 ‘Redeem Team’ documentary. This pumps up the emotions as the doc will go down as a tribute to the iconic Kobe Bryant. 

The Mamba had never represented his nation before at the Olympics. He willingly chose to lead the team in 2008 and guided them to success and beyond. The release schedule and more information is yet to hit the news. But one can hope that the makers strive ahead and push it to release by next year! 

King James is stepping into Michael Jordan’s shoes!

Another exciting feature that is releasing in 2021 is the sequel of Space Jam. After the Michael Jordan starring animation movie released in 1996, LeBron James is replacing Jordan in the sequel, which is releasing 25 years apart. 

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One can certify that King James is the perfect successor to MJ. The Space Jam movie initially flunked at the box office, but later gained huge popularity in the basketball community. From then till now, fans hold the move in a special regard. 

LeBron thrilled his fans by posting an update on the movie a few months ago. Moreover, one can expect to see other NBA stars besides LeBron, who is the protagonist in the sequel, ‘Space JamTo : A New Legacy.’ 

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Next year will certainly be a cracking one, and an insightful experience for NBA fans. Magic’s documentary will be spectacular and archived footage from the 80s will captivate us. Moreover, the Redeem Team doc will capture the interest of millions of fans worldwide. Not to mention the hugely anticipated Space Jam sequel starring King James! 

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Written by:

Arjun Athreya

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.
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