Streetballers (2009)

Streetballers is for basketball, what Field of Dreams was for baseball. Defining street basketball as America's new favorite pastime, it is a story driven by passion, faith, and achieving goals. A story capturing the poetic nature of street basketball, highlighting the struggles endured on and off the court by the purest of athletes. Constantly searching for sanity in the midst of alcoholism, racism, and drugs, John Hogan and Jacob Whitmore, two junior college basketball players, find release and therapy while competing at one of the most competitive and poetic street courts in the U.S. Both men must spend an entire summer helping one another overcome their adversities. Their dedication and love for the game of basketball transcends from the playground courts into each of their dysfunctional households where the two boys play the constant role of the father figure. Pounding through life one day at a time, Jacob has no choice but to play in an underground league, constantly fighting to keep his cousin Damon out of debt, and possible death. John's overpowering guilt and family trauma erupt into a state of confusion and beauty with each spiritual intervention of Terry Gibson, a neighborhood boy killed by John's older brother Michael in a drunk driving accident. Together, the two boys paint a sad and delightful portrait with their innocence, concerns, and faith in the unknown.