Spike Lee is the main alternate director, with Oliver Stone also mentioned and James Toney briefly suggested as a performance swap.
Ray Allen wins by the strongest consensus because the film expanded his cultural legacy; Denzel Washington and Spike Lee receive alternate votes.
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.
Research covers unrealized sequel talks, Rosario Dawson's age and later account, and the John Henry meaning of the opening song.
Big Time's observed performer Roger Gunverer Smith, Thomas Jefferson Bird as Sweetness, and Leonard Roberts as DeAndre are considered.
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.
Big Time's car scene, Jake at the cemetery, and Jesus with Lala by the fireworks are nominated.
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.
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.
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.
The discussion asks what region Professor Phipps's accent represents and whether the final UNLEARN title card is homage or imitation.
