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He Got Game

year 1998decade 90sdirector Spike Leegenre Sportsgenre Drama

136 minutes

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Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Denzel Washington Jake Shuttlesworth
Ray Allen Jesus Shuttlesworth
Jade Yorker Jesus Shuttlesworth (age 12)
Milla Jovovich Dakota Barns
John Turturro Coach Billy Sunday
Rosario Dawson Lala Bonilla
Jim Brown Spivey
Hill Harper Coleman "Booger" Sykes
Shortee Reed Coleman "Booger" Sykes (age 12)

He Got Game | The Rewatchables

host Bill Simmonshost Van Lathanhost Logan Murdockproducer Craig Horlbeck format 25th Anniversary
Explore episodeClose episode

Most Rewatchable Scene

The opening playground game, shoe purchase and first reunion, SportsCenter montage, Big Time warning, childhood game and kitchen tragedy, Earl Monroe walk, TechU visit, Lala confrontation, final one-on-one game, and prison opening are discussed; the final one-on-one game is the clearest winner.

In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:47Read transcript
  • The opening playground game is praised for authentic basketball and the players' elaborate names.
  • Jake buying the Air Jordan 13s and then meeting Jesus in the park is praised as a compact reunion sequence.
  • The SportsCenter montage is valued as a late-1990s ESPN time capsule with prominent coaches and players.
  • Michael Jordan only saying the title prompts a question about Spike Lee's reaction to obtaining the clip.
  • The Big Time warning about temptations is praised as a complete Spike Lee cameo sequence.
  • Roger Gunver Smith is identified in the transcript as the performer playing Big Time, with uncertainty about the middle name's transcription.
  • The childhood game is treated as essential because it exposes Jake's severity and the tenderness missing from the father-son bond.
  • The Earl Monroe walk lets Jake explain Jesus's name and briefly parent his son through shared basketball history.
  • The TechU visit is praised for the escalating parade of recruiting temptations.
  • The Lala confrontation makes Jesus recognize both her self-interest and his need to leave.
  • The final one-on-one game is a leading choice because the unscripted competitiveness and farewell carry the father-son story.
  • The thrown-ball ending divides the panel, with one participant loving it and others calling it absurd.
  • A later choice adds the prison opening because it establishes Jake's discipline and the system using him.

Roger Ebert's review

The episode states that Roger Ebert gave He Got Game three and a half stars and called it Spike Lee's best film since Malcolm X.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:27Read transcript
  • The film is reported to have cost twenty-five million dollars and earned 22.4 million.
  • Roger Ebert is reported to have given the film three and a half stars.
  • Ebert's review is summarized as calling the film a father-son heartbreaker rather than a greedy docudrama.
  • Ebert is reported to have called it Spike Lee's best film since Malcolm X.

What’s Aged the Best?

The premise, Denzel's 1998 look and jump shot, the Air Jordan 13s, young Ray Allen and Rosario Dawson, and the stature of college coaches receive praise.

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:35Read transcript
  • The seven-day furlough to persuade a recruit to choose a school is praised as a strong premise.
  • Denzel's hair, clothes, and basketball outfit are praised as specifically evocative of 1998.
  • The old-school jump shot coming from behind his head is praised.
  • The Air Jordan 13s are praised as product placement that became part of the movie's identity.
  • The shoes were reportedly released early to Spike Lee for filming before their public release.
  • Young Ray Allen and the observed Rosario Dawson both receive praise.
  • The montage of prominent college coaches is valued as a record of an era when those coaches carried broad cultural weight.
  • The story that Denzel unexpectedly scored five points against Ray Allen enhances the final game's appeal.

The Big Kahuna Burger Award for Best Use of Food and Drink

Jim Brown eating a Nathan's hot dog, Jake's bagged liquor, and the ironed grilled cheese are considered; the grilled cheese wins.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:42Read transcript
  • Jim Brown with a Nathan's hot dog is offered as a location-specific food choice.
  • The bagged liquor is treated as part of the angry childhood basketball scene.
  • The grilled cheese made with an iron is the preferred choice because the technique was memorable and unfamiliar.

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

Big Time's car scene, Jake at the cemetery, and Jesus with Lala by the fireworks are nominated.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:21:11Read transcript
  • Big Time riding in the car is proposed as the most cinematic shot.
  • Jake at the cemetery receives another choice for Spike Lee's pull-away camera move.
  • Jesus and Lala embracing by the fireworks is praised for its cinematography.

The Action Is the Juice Award for Best Milking of the Moment

Ray Allen wins for holding his own across multiple scenes opposite Denzel Washington despite being a basketball player and first-time actor.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:21:44Read transcript
  • Ray Allen is praised for sustaining dramatic scenes opposite Denzel rather than merely appearing as an athlete cameo.
  • The discussion argues that Denzel had to give more within their scenes to support an inexperienced costar.

What’s Aged the Worst?

College as a long-term choice for an elite prospect, the absence of a major hip-hop soundtrack, uneven supporting acting, the supernatural ball ending, and Uncle Bubba's menace age poorly.

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:22:27Read transcript
  • College basketball is described as a much less important long-term decision for an elite prospect now.
  • The soundtrack still bothers the panel because it missed a possible great late-1990s rap compilation.
  • The panel accepts Public Enemy and jazz as consistent with Spike Lee's taste while still wishing for a wider hip-hop soundtrack.
  • Spike Lee's tendency to mix excellent performers with conspicuously weak supporting actors is criticized.
  • The sleazy agent performer and Jesus's coach are singled out as weak actors.
  • The ball traveling from prison to the college court is called an absurd ending, though one participant defends it.
  • Uncle Bubba's implied threat to Jesus's sister is treated as disturbing.

The Ron Burgundy Flute Award for the Best Time for a Pee Break

Any scene in the sex-worker subplot works, especially the roughly eight-minute hotel stretch around minutes fifty to fifty-eight.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:27:54Read transcript
  • The hotel stretch with the observed Milo Jovovich is the primary pee-break choice.
  • Uncle Bubba's driving scenes are offered as another point to step away.

The Neil McCauley “A Book about Metals” Award for Best Line from the Movie

The downfall-of-great-men line, the black/white/green money line, and Sip's Rail Splitters boast are nominated.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:28:11Read transcript
  • The line about every great man's downfall being a woman is proposed.
  • The line contrasting black, white, and green money is proposed.
  • Sip's claim that nobody can beat the Rail Splitters is praised for Travis Best's delivery.

Casting What-Ifs

Kobe Bryant, Stephon Marbury, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, and Allen Iverson are discussed as alternatives to Ray Allen, whose maturity and size are ultimately defended.

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 01:28:43Read transcript
  • Kobe Bryant is identified as the original Jesus choice before he chose basketball training after a playoff loss.
  • The panel divides over whether young Kobe had the acting depth and maturity to play Jesus.
  • Kobe's surliness and story distance are argued both as advantages and drawbacks.
  • Stephon Marbury reportedly declined to audition because he believed the story was about him.
  • Kevin Garnett reportedly also resisted auditioning.
  • Tracy McGrady reportedly auditioned but was judged too reserved.
  • Conflicting accounts are acknowledged about whether Allen Iverson was sought or auditioned.
  • Ray Allen's young appearance and greater size than his father help the casting work.
  • Allen Iverson is considered the most fascinating unrealized version, though his reliability is questioned.

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Big Time's observed performer Roger Gunverer Smith, Thomas Jefferson Bird as Sweetness, and Leonard Roberts as DeAndre are considered.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:34:10Read transcript
  • The performer playing Big Time is an immediate That Guy choice, though the transcript flags uncertainty about his middle name.
  • Thomas Jefferson Bird is selected for recurring work in Spike Lee films and his role as Sweetness.
  • Leonard Roberts is proposed for playing DeAndre and being recognizable from other work.

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Rick Fox, Big Time, the Chasey Lane/Jill Kelly pair, and the Air Jordan salesman are nominated; Big Time is the expected winner, while the pair draws a rival vote.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:35:11Read transcript
  • Rick Fox is one of the three main Dionne Waiters choices.
  • Big Time is presented as the expected winner.
  • The observed Chasey Lane and Jill Kelly are allowed as a combined choice.
  • The Air Jordan salesman is a bonus candidate for an effective short appearance.
  • The pair's scene is defended as one of the film's most memorable moments.

Recasting Couch

John Tortoro is moved from college coach to high-school coach, while Robert De Niro or Al Pacino is proposed for the TechU coach.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:38:08Read transcript
  • John Tortoro is proposed as the high-school coach instead of the college coach.
  • Robert De Niro is proposed as an older TechU coach with Dean Smith-like weight.
  • Al Pacino is offered as another high-profile TechU coach for the single scene.

Half-Assed Internet Research

Research covers unrealized sequel talks, Rosario Dawson's age and later account, and the John Henry meaning of the opening song.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:38:38Read transcript
  • Ray Allen and Spike Lee are reported to have discussed a de facto sequel, but one participant says it will not happen.
  • The observed Rosario Dawson is reported as eighteen and sexually inexperienced during production, with a later statement that she first had sex at twenty.
  • The opening song is identified as John Henry.
  • John Henry is described as a Black folk hero and steel driver who beat a machine but died.
  • The panel interprets that labor story as a deliberate man-versus-machine frame for the opening.

Apex Mountain

Training Day is favored for Denzel; Ray Allen's case lasts until his championship shot; Travis Best, Walter McCarty, John Wallace, Spike Lee, the adult performers, Abraham Lincoln High School basketball, SportsCenter, and Air Jordans are also debated.

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:39:44Read transcript
  • Training Day is treated as Denzel's likely Apex because of the Oscar and star status.
  • Ray Allen's Apex is placed at his championship-saving shot rather than this film.
  • Travis Best receives an immediate film-specific Apex choice.
  • Walter McCarty and John Wallace are added as basketball-player candidates.
  • Spike Lee is considered and rejected as being at his Apex here.
  • The observed Chasey Lane and Jill Kelly receive an emphatic Apex answer.
  • Abraham Lincoln High School basketball is raised but left unresolved.
  • SportsCenter in the Dan/Keith/Kilborn/Stuart Scott era receives a strong Apex verdict.
  • Air Jordan 11s, rather than the movie's 13s, are declared the shoe line's Apex.
  • Pre-gentrification Brooklyn is raised without enough knowledge for a verdict.

Best Race Horse Name from This Movie

Big Time wins over He Got Game, Jesus Shuttlesworth, Lala Bonita, and several player-name variants.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:42:55Read transcript
  • He Got Game is proposed as a racehorse name.
  • Jesus Shuttlesworth receives another strong proposal.
  • The observed Lala Benita is proposed.
  • The player names Bougar and Lonnie Dub Dukes are tested.
  • Big Time is the final winner because the panel would want to bet on it.

Picking Nits

The coach cameos, Lala-DeAndre pool scene, early reveal of Lala's betrayal, Jesus living alone with his sister, the mother's fatal fall, Jake's fifteen-year sentence, recruiting timing, Jesus not turning pro, and an unmasked prison quarantine are questioned.

In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 01:43:33Read transcript
  • College coaches publicly discussing a recruit is called an NCAA violation.
  • Lala openly flirting with DeAndre in the pool while Jesus is nearby is considered implausible.
  • The story reveals Lala's betrayal too early to preserve surprise.
  • The panel questions whether Jesus and his sister could live alone without foster-care intervention.
  • The mother's death from falling against the oven is considered physically uncertain.
  • The panel debates whether the push could break her neck even though the fall looks mild.
  • Jake's fifteen-year sentence is considered excessive for an accidental killing.
  • The discussion distinguishes accidental or involuntary manslaughter from the movie's repeated use of murder.
  • A recruit is said to be unable to visit a college one week before the signing deadline.
  • Given the era of high-school entrants, the panel finds it implausible that Jesus would not turn pro.
  • The mother's college wish is mentioned but judged insufficiently developed to explain his decision.
  • The governor's broken promise makes turning pro after briefly attending Big State seem logical.
  • A quarantined prisoner walking among unmasked staff is questioned from a post-2020 perspective.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

A sequel about retired Jesus Shuttlesworth is desired; alternate pitches include She Got Game about his daughter and He Had Game about a broke final-season veteran dealing with an attention-seeking Jake.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:49:53Read transcript
  • An older Ray Allen as a retired NBA player is proposed for a sequel.
  • She Got Game is proposed as a version about Jesus's daughter.
  • He Had Game is proposed about Jesus in his final season after losing money to poker sharks.
  • Jake is imagined out of prison with big chains, attending star weekend and playing in the Big Three.
  • The panel worries a modern sequel would become an overstuffed intellectual-property and product-placement vehicle.

Is This Movie Better With…?

Samuel L. Jackson is the serious addition, particularly as Jim Brown's partner or the high-school coach; several other stock names are only listed.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:21Read transcript

Just One Oscar

Denzel Washington is the acting choice, while Public Enemy's title song is proposed for Best Original Song.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:52:50Read transcript
  • Denzel receives the immediate acting Oscar choice.
  • Public Enemy is proposed for Best Original Song.
  • The omission of the title song is questioned against that year's nominated songs.
  • Later hip-hop Oscar wins are discussed as changes in the Academy's openness to rap songs.

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Questions ask whether the film foreshadowed LeBron's era, accidentally named TikTok, and how Kobe Bryant's life and the Lakers would change if he starred.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:54:17Read transcript
  • The question asks whether the movie foreshadowed the LeBron era.
  • A spoken TikTok phrase prompts a joking question about whether the film named the service.
  • The largest counterfactual asks whether starring would make Kobe act more and accelerate conflict with Shaq.
  • The panel considers whether film success would make Kobe more popular but less singularly focused on basketball.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Jake's Air Jordan 13s, the rubber bands, the authentic Lincoln Jesus Shuttlesworth jersey, and the ending basketball are considered; the jersey wins.

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:58:07Read transcript
  • Jake's Air Jordan 13s are the first memorabilia choice.
  • The matching rubber bands worn by father and son are considered.
  • An authentic Lincoln Jesus Shuttlesworth jersey is selected over common replicas.
  • The worn basketball from the ending is offered as a choice for the ending's defender.

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

The main lesson is to trust no one when you are a great but poor basketball prospect; Big Time's explicit spelling joke is offered as an alternate.

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:59:15Read transcript
  • Distrust of everyone surrounding an elite, poor basketball prospect is identified as Spike Lee's intended lesson.
  • Big Time's deliberately idiosyncratic spelling lesson is offered as the comic alternative.

Who Won the Movie?

Ray Allen wins by the strongest consensus because the film expanded his cultural legacy; Denzel Washington and Spike Lee receive alternate votes.

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:59:30Read transcript
  • Ray Allen receives the first winner vote.
  • Denzel receives an alternate vote for his performance.
  • The case for Ray Allen is that the movie changed his cultural standing more than it changed Denzel's career.
  • A comparison with Reggie Miller reinforces the importance of the film to Ray Allen's legacy.
  • A further participant joins the Ray Allen choice.
  • Spike Lee is proposed because few directors could make the film without losing its force.
  • Jill Kelly, Chasey Lane, and Heather Hunter receive a joking final alternative.
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Ray Allen
Speaker not identified
Denzel Washington
Speaker not identified
Ray Allen

Producer review

Producer Craig agrees the film runs about twenty-five minutes too long and says the sex-worker scenes drag; he adds that Jesus's unprotected, ordinary high-school life is striking for a prospect treated as a future top pick.

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 02:01:21Read transcript
  • The producer explains that his parents' child-rearing years left him with a gap in 1990s movie knowledge.
  • He agrees that the film could be about twenty-five minutes shorter.
  • The eight-minute Milo Jobovich stretch is his clearest example of the excess length.
  • He is struck that a nationally known future top pick still attends school and plays in public without a protective structure.
  • The hosts answer that this reflects the pre-AAU and pre-social-media era.
  • LeBron is identified as the first high-school player whose fame felt nationally inescapable.
  • The later mixtape and social-media eras are described as distinct stages in high-school-player celebrity.
  • The closing explicitly credits producer Craig Horroback in the machine transcript.

More from the conversation

The movie is treated as a prescient account of the recruiting economy and the pressure surrounding elite young athletes.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:59Read transcript
Spike Lee's filmography and recurring mix of high art, personal interests, jazz, and uneven subplots frame the panel's reassessment.
Approx. transcript time · 00:13:36Read transcript
The Earl Monroe scene is read as both basketball history and Jake's accidental return to parenting.
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:47Read transcript
Denzel's vulnerable performance and credible basketball movement are treated as essential support for an inexperienced Ray Allen.
Approx. transcript time · 00:31:52Read transcript
Ray Allen's later NBA career changed how audiences perceive the relative fame of the athlete who first appeared in the film.
Approx. transcript time · 00:41:31Read transcript
The release is placed at the transition from Jordan's NBA to a faster, more commercial, more scrutinized basketball culture.
Approx. transcript time · 00:44:02Read transcript
The soundtrack debate contrasts Spike Lee's Public Enemy and jazz commitments with the missing opportunity to document late-1990s New York rap.
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:02Read transcript
The film's father-son structure repeatedly compares Jake's exploitation by prison officials with Jesus's exploitation by recruiters and family.
Approx. transcript time · 01:02:02Read transcript
The casting discussion preserves a wide alternate history of young NBA stars considered for Jesus.
Approx. transcript time · 01:28:43Read transcript
The John Henry opening is interpreted as a labor story about a man competing against a machine.
Approx. transcript time · 01:38:38Read transcript
The closing discussion traces high-school basketball celebrity from local knowledge through LeBron, mixtapes, and social media.
Approx. transcript time · 02:03:01Read transcript