The last time I cried over anything basketball related was when the late great Lakers announcer Chick Hearn died and when Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat (I’m now a die-hard ex-Lakers fan because of that trade). On Friday, I saw the basketball documentary “More Than a Game”, which I’ve unfairly dubbed, Bron Bron’s movie, and I cried so hard you would have thought Chick Hearn rose from the dead and called Shaq one of the worst centers of all time. Seriously, I had to stop myself from doing one of those Wendy Williams ugly cries, but my mother wasn’t having much luck. She looked a mess by the time we exited the theater.

 

I half way expected my mother to fall asleep watching this movie (she’s not big on documentaries or basketball) but she loved it just as much as I did.  Granted, I’m a sucker for even the most mundane of documentaries, however More “Than a Game” is anything but boring. It makes me want to send Spike Lee a two line memo:

 

I love you but More Than A Game > Kobe Doin’ Work. You’re slippin’ , son.

 

It almost sounds corny, but ”More Than a Game” really is about more than basketball. It’s a story about friendship, family, sacrifice, fatherhood, and loyalty.

 

 

The only misstep the creators of the documentary made was marketing this as a Lebron James story. Lebron’s high school coach, Dru Joyce, practically steals the film as he details what he gave up (a closer relationship with his son, pictured on the far right at the top) and what he gained (a gift from God and a sense of purpose). 

 

 

The friendship between the fab four, which later became the fab five is comedic and moving. Lebron’s close friends – Romeo, Willie, Sian and Little Dru have success stories of their own that made me want to see more of them and less of Lebron. Don’t get it twisted though, Lebron is still the five point earning, Shallow Girl’s Guide to the NBA, King of Fine.  

 

I loved seeing this film in a room full of fans of basketball and King James. There were people in the theater wearing Cavs jerseys and a lot of parents with groups of small children who cheered at the first sight of the Nike powered machine.

 

Before the film I was a bit weary that it might validate the dreams of young boys who bank their future on the NBA without realizing that that dream is a long shot. But one of its underlying messages is that not everybody aspiring to be in the NBA will make it that far or become a Lebron James. The sheer magnitude of Lebron’s rarity is highlighted as well as the normalcy of his friends who once were high school superstars, and are now college students or oversees ball players, living life out of the spotlight. 

 

With NBA age-limits “More Than a Game” almost serves as the final testimony of a player like Lebron. Unless the rules change, no one will ever come straight out of high school and be as great as him. The documentary has captured that well and all of the people that helped him get here.

Tags: Basketball, Lebron James, More Than a Game, NBA