Best Basketball Documentaries on YouTube
Whether you’re a casual fan, looking to watch the occasional NBA game, or a hardcore one, with multiple fantasy teams and a subscription to NBA League Pass, YouTube can serve as a great repository for basketball and NBA content.
From basketball specific YouTube channels to recent highlights and game recaps, YouTube has become the default destination for NBA and basketball fans looking to get their fix.
However, and often overlooked, is YouTube’s rich and varied basketball specific documentaries.
Below, we are going to review and discuss the best basketball documentaries on YouTube which you can watch right now for free!
Kobe Bryant – The Black Mamba Mentality
While there are a plethora of basketball and NBA documentaries on YouTube, our absolute favorite one is Kobe Bryant – The Black Mamba Mentality. Coming in at nearly 3-hours and 20-minutes in length, the documentary goes into full detail of Kobe Bryant’s legacy.
From his time in high school to his ascension to the NBA and the drama he encountered while on the Lakers, this documentary is extremely thorough and fully encompasses the life of one of the NBA greats.
Pooh: The Derrick Rose Story
Although much has changed for Derrick Rose since 2019 when this documentary first dropped, it still adequately and perfectly recaps Rose’s journey from the streets of Chicago to the United Center.
A 1st round draft pick chosen by the Chicago Bulls with the number 1 overall pick, Derrick Rose’s career in the NBA has been mired with injuries and setbacks. However, through it all, Rose has been able to overcome those setbacks and has been able to play a significant role as a veteran leader.
The Dream Team 1992
Perhaps the greatest basketball team ever assembled, The Dream Team 1992 documentary reviews the NBA superstars who gathered together for Olympic glory. Recounting the process of assembling the team and the journey towards Olympic gold, this documentary is a must-watch for any true NBA and basketball fan.
More Than a Game
Following the story of LeBron James and his high school teammates, More Than a Game is a true-life coming of age story about friendship and loyalty in the face of great adversity.
With the team being coached by a charismatic but inexperienced player’s father, and led by future NBA superstar LeBron James, the “Fab Five’s” improbable seven-year journey leads them from a decrepit inner-city gym to the doorstep of a national high school championship.
Along the way, the close-knit team is repeatedly tested—both on and off the court—as James’ exploding worldwide celebrity threatens to destroy everything they’ve set out to achieve together.
More Than A Game combines a series of unforgettable one-on-one interviews with rare news footage, never-before-seen home videos, and personal family photographs to bring this heart-wrenching and wholly American story to life.
The Steph Curry Documentary
In this 30-minute documentary, the story of Steph Curry’s dominance in the NBA is fully discussed. From his revolutionizing the flow of the game to his use of the three-point line to help his team win an NBA record 73-games, Curry’s influence on the NBA and the game of basketball is fully discussed and reviewed.
The Allen Iverson Documentary
Perhaps one of the most controversial figures and players to ever play in the league, Iverson was also one of the least understood players. Having grown up in a tough environment and without a proper father figure, Iverson’s ascension to the hallowed halls of the NBA took an immense amount of hard-work, skill, and a dash of luck.
Magic and Bird: A Courtship of Rivals Basketball
Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals is a 2010 television documentary film broadcast on HBO. The film chronicles the rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird that began with the 1979 NCAA Basketball Championship Game and lasted throughout their lengthy Hall of Fame careers in the NBA.
The film makes an argument that without the massive media attention that was placed on the rivalry that Magic and Bird had, the NBA might not have made it through the 1980s following the merger with the ABA, among other things.
A 90-minute documentary, it follows both Magic and Bird through their respective times in the league and their rivalry as two of the greatest players to play in the league.
Larry Bird, A Basketball Legend
We’ll be the first to admit, Larry Bird, A Basketball Legend, having been produced back in 1991, is a bit difficult to watch due to the standard definition quality. However, at nearly an hour long, the documentary does an excellent job of showcasing Bird’s unyielding determination and work ethic.
An excellent documentary, we just really wish it would be remastered for the modern age and times.
AT ALL COSTS: Life Inside AAU Basketball
At All Costs is a 2016 documentary film that explores how the AAU basketball machine has professionalized youth basketball in America.
As the business of youth basketball balloons into a multi-billion dollar industry, the stakes for finding “the next big thing” have never been higher.
The film follows a highly ranked high-school recruit, his family, and a competitive AAU team as they travel the country playing in marquee tournaments, competing against top-tier athletes, fighting to make it to the next level.
Available on YouTube, the documentary was also acquired by Netflix back in 2017 and can be watched there as well.
PROMISELAND
Imagine achieving your dream only to have the world fall to pieces all around you.
Promiseland takes you on an intimate journey with future Rookie of the Year and NBA All-Star Ja Morant as he navigates the perils of the 2019–2020 season—not just a challenging year for live basketball, but for humanity.
Apart from the suspension of his sport during his first year in the league, the young point guard must grapple with a world utterly transformed by a global pandemic and the urgent call for racial justice.
Morant is joined by a cavalcade of fellow NBA stars, including Carmelo Anthony, A’ja Wilson and many more as director Dexton Deboree takes you inside NBA’s Orlando bubble and on the road with Morant and the Grizzlies as they navigate the unprecedented disarray of the resumed season.