Documentary Movie Reviews

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Long Shots: The Life and Times of the
American Basketball Association (1997)

Rate: 9
Viewed: 9/25

ABA
9/25: I remember watching a great documentary on HBO called Long Shots: The Life and Times of the American Basketball Association.

Everybody has done an outstanding job of explaining the history of ABA from 1967 to 1976. It used to be a radical league with different styles that we take for granted today such the three-point line, faster pace of play, high-scoring competitions, the slam dunk contest, and the high school draft rule, allowing players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to go straight to NBA after high school graduation. Who can also forget the red, white, and blue basketball?

Some ABA teams have survived the merger, and they include San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, and Brooklyn Nets (it used to be New York and then New Jersey). The most famous player in league history is Julius "Dr. J" Erving who was a way better dunker than Michael Jordan. There are other standouts like Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins, Dan Issel, Roger Brown, Rick Barry, and George "The Iceman" Gervin.

All in all, Long Shots: The Life and Times of the American Basketball Association is a can't-miss.