Hoop Dreams

And welcome to

the 38th annual NBA All-Star game...

from Chicago Stadium.

A standing-room-only crowd.

A steal by Jordan.

He spun it away from the Mailman.

Just needs a little time-out to reorganize.

And the chances

of a West comeback are slipping away.

Aguirre for three.

I have never seen an All-Star game...

that had such spectacular passing...

and plays,

and thundering plays like this.

They're beginning to hang, Billy.

Ah, what a way to end this ball game.

Right now, I wanna, you know,

play in the NBA...

like anybody else would wanna be.

That's who -

That's something...

I dream and think

about all the time -

playing in the NBA.

He's just doing something

that he loves so much.

He just love it so much.

I'm just happy for him.

If somebody can understand

the way William play...

that'll make me feel

a lot better.

The way they should have

understood the way I played.

This Chicagoan

is making his seventh All-Star appearance.

From the Detroit Pistons, 6'1 "...

Isaiah Thomas!

When I get in the NBA...

the first thing I'm gonna do...

I'm gonna see my mama, buy her a house...

I'm gonna go there and make sure

my sister and my brother's okay.

If we were okay or not.

Probably get my dad...

a Cadillac Oldsmobile...

so he can cruise in the games.

Something real long.

Dominique.! Ooh.!

He dreams about it.

He look at those

basketball commercials...

where they be advertising these Nike shoes?

He'll tell his little, small brother...

"Joe, Joe, that's me."

So the West leads.

Thomas trying to go the distance. Loses it.

I don't even think about

it, if he don't make it.

Just 'cause I'm so -

I'm so, you know,

focused in on him making it.

I just know he'll make it.

I'm off to Central...

and the Congress

Expressway-

a park over there where there are

some pretty talented young men.

Earl Smith works downtown

as an insurance executive.

On weekends he's an unofficial talent scout

for several area high schools.

This is what you call

"beating the bushes."

This is the job

of most of your freshmen coaches...

and guys like me who -

who played a little bit of the game...

who love trying to help young people

on the road to success.

It's in! It's in!

Today Earl spots Arthur Agee,

who just graduated from grammar school.

He's got the quickest first step

that I've seen in about five years.

His first step.

I will bet you a steak dinner

in four years you'll be hearing from him.

I don't even know anything about him.

Several days later,

Earl takes Arthur and his family

on a recruiting visit...

to the high school

where NBA star Isiah Thomas played.

The visit will give

St. Joseph's coaches...

a chance to see Arthur perform.

Your role today, Arthur...

is to impress the coaches.

Try not to be too fancy.

Take the open shot when you have it.

Play good defense

and make good passes.

The rest of it,

just play natural, you know.

I'm hoping I'm gonna go to St. Joe

and play...

but first I gotta -

I gotta get my books straight.

And...

hopefully come out

and impress the coaches.

Is it kinda scary?

Yes, it is.

I've never been to a school

way out before...

and I would be going to a school

with different kids, different races.

You can look at the scenery,

new friends to meet.

What if Isiah's there today?

Well, if he be there...

I'll be shocked...

'cause that'd be my first time

ever seeing him...

Up close, you know, real life.

Basketball has to be second

to your academics.

If you don't get your grades,

you're not gonna play.

If you work hard at the grades,

and if you work hard at basketball...

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