50 Best Sports Movies Ever

41. White Men Can’t Jump

Year: 1992
Sport: Basketball
Starring: Wesley Snipes, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez, Tyra Ferrell, Kadeem Hardison
Director: Ron Shelton

One could argue that White Men Can’t Jump doesn’t belong on this list, but that’s not a point I’m willing to concede. There’s not quite as much structure as a basketball movie like Hoosiers, but White Men Can’t Jump had a social a cultural impact.

More importantly, it was a fun movie starring two globally recognized actors with a script that as wonderfully as Ron Shelton intended.

Shelton has a great history with sports films, directing revered films such as White Men Can’t Jump, Tin Cup and, most notably, Bull Durham. It was this fun twist on street ball that helped Snipes and Harrellson legitimize themselves as versatile actors.

While it may not be the most critically renowned film ever made, White Men Can’t Jump has a cult following that speaks loud enough for a Top 50 ranking.

Warning: NSFW.

If you love basketball, then you likely know that Sidney Deane and Billy Hoyle are extraordinary characters.

This isn’t the type of basketball movie that you’d expect to see on this list, but channeling a different type of energy and still being successful is important. White Men Can’t Jump does that to perfection, as it brings to light a world of basketball that isn’t often shown in the cinema.

This might be a little too high or too low for some sports fans’ taste, but everyone has their favorites, and White Men Can’t Jump deserves a Top 50 spot.

Next: 40. Glory Road