Hoop Dreams, Better Than Fiction

I've seen interviews with the filmmakers where they say that they had Hollywood types coming to them wanting to give this story a Hollywood treatment. They were smart to keep this as a documentary, but it got me thinking. Could Hollywood have written a better story than the one that occurs in Hoop Dreams?

I don't think so. Consider the way Arthur and William's stories played out.

William is the golden child in the eyes of the basketball world. Arthur is considered too playground, and is forced out of the elite private school.

But ironically, its Arthur who goes down state on an incredible, unlikely run. William's career is more or less a disappointment, and he loses his passion for the game along the way.

Consider Arthur and William as young men. Both are basically great kids who are respectful and care about their families and want to do the right thing. These are great kids, and the audience is compelled to care about them.

How would this documentary have gone if the kids they chose evolved into punks or gang bangers?

The filmmakers were either incredibly lucky at the way things turned out, or there was some sort of divine intervention. No Hollywood script writer could have done better.

RIP Curtis Gates
RIP Bo Agee Sr.