Love & Basketball
| Love & Basketball | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Gina Prince-Bythewood |
| Written by | Gina Prince-Bythewood |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Reynaldo Villalobos |
| Edited by | Terilyn A. Shropshire |
| Music by | Terence Blanchard |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release date |
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Running time | 127 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $14–20 million |
| Box office | $27.7 million |
Love & Basketball is a 2000 American romantic sports drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood in her feature film directorial debut. It was produced by Spike Lee and Sam Kit and stars Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, and Alfre Woodard, with Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union and Debbi Morgan in supporting roles. The film follows Quincy McCall (Epps) and Monica Wright (Lathan), two next-door neighbors in Los Angeles, who are pursuing their respective basketball careers while navigating a developing romantic relationship.
Love & Basketball was released on April 21, 2000. It received positive reviews from critics, with praise for the performances of Lathan and Epps, as well as Prince-Bythewood's direction and screenplay. It grossed $27.7 million worldwide on a production budget of $14–20 million. The film later developed a dedicated following and has been regarded as a cult classic within Black cinema. In 2023, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."