Love and Basketball

Love & Basketball is a 2000 American romantic sports drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (in her feature film directorial debut). The film is produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kit and stars Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It tells the story of Quincy McCall (Epps) and Monica Wright (Lathan), two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, California, who are pursuing their respective basketball careers before eventually falling for each other.

Love & Basketball was released on April 21, 2000 in the United States. It received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at the performances (particularly those of Lathan and Epps), Prince-Bythewood's direction and script and the emotional weight of the film. Nevertheless, it grossed $27.7 million worldwide on a production budget of $14–20 million.

Over the years, the film has developed a dedicated following, cementing its place in popular culture, and establishing itself as a cult classic.[3][4][5][6]