Hoop Dreams (1994) | Arthur Visits St. Joe's

Plucked from the streets and given the opportunity to attend a suburban prep school and play for a legendary high school coach, William Gates and Arthur Agee both soon discover that their dreams of NBA glory become obscured amid the intense pressures of academics, family life, economics and athletic competitiveness. But most importantly, both boys remain focused on their dream, no matter how hard tragedy strikes or how desperate their situation becomes. It is their faith in the game that unites their family and gives each person hope. And it is this faith that ultimately allows them to build upon their failures as well as their triumphs and make for themselves a potentially better life.
First exhibited at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the audience award for best documentary, Kartemquin's Hoop Dreams is the remarkable true story of two American dreamers; an intimate reflection of contemporary American inner-city culture, following two ordinary young men on the courts of the game they love.
kartemquin.com...
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Sparking democracy through documentary since 1966, Kartemquin is a collaborative community that empowers documentary makers who create stories that foster a more engaged and just society.
Kartemquin's films have received four Academy Award® nominations, and won six Emmys® and three Peabody Awards, among several more major prizes. In 2019, Kartemquin was honored with an Institutional Peabody Award for "its commitment to unflinching documentary filmmaking and telling an American history rooted in social justice and the stories of the marginalized." Recognized as a leading advocate for independent public media, Kartemquin has helped hundreds of artists via its filmmaker development programs and championing of documentary.
Kartemquin is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization based in Chicago.

[@jongon0848]

I'm not gonna lie, one of the most satisfying moments in the film is later on when Coach Pingatore sees Arthur playing in the city finals, wishing he had kept him at St Joe's.

[@BigDanWestmont]

Agreed. Agee was the better player. Pingatore came off ineffectual in his efforts to coach up Gates.

[@jonathanschroeder510]

The coach thought he was too small he didn’t expect Agee to hit a growth spurt right after he left for Marshall

[@laminage]

@@jonathanschroeder510 It happens. Edgardo Diaz made a snide remark about Ricky Martin who auditioned in Menudo and he hadn't begun his Growth Spurt and within a couple of years he's the Biggest star to come out of The Group while Edgardo had financial problems, and was accused of molestation the same way that Lou Perlman (The Backstreet Boys, and N'Sync), Thomas "Tam" Paton (Pronounced Payton) with The Bay City Rollers.

[@tbfit7808]

@@BigDanWestmont he wasn’t the better player.

[@BigDanWestmont]

@@tbfit7808 There is indeed a degree of subjectivity in my assertion, as we know only what we see in the movie. I suppose that, to a large extent, one's final judgment rests on whether you believe that a "basketball powerhouse" program such as St. Joe's was and is inherently better than that of Marshall. That's a debate for another day. Suffice it to say that Gates had access to that supposedly superior program and carried himself with a kind of deer-in-the-headlights demeanor throughout, whilst Agee went to play for the supposedly inferior Marshall program and won the city championship and took his team to the state finals. Apart from the debate over the two respective basketball programs, it just seemed as though Agee showed a certain fire in the belly that Gates lacked. One thing we could probably agree on is that Ping was too hasty in cutting Arthur loose. It defies logic to believe that he couldn't have found a way to keep them both. That certainly would have settled the question of who was better in a more definitive way.

[@nickddd333]

Just the fact he made it to college is a miracle. Good for him, perfect example of what inner city kids face that most just don't fully understand

[@laminage]

Yes, their Academic Programs I heard are really bad. Arthur and William had only a 4th Grade Education and he was doing eighth grade work.

[@Str8ttruckn312]

William's older brother was killed in 2001 and Arthur's dad was killed in 2004 and Gene Pigatore died in 2019. Rip y'all

[@Luke-kg7vu]

Also Arthur’s little brother died RIP

[@treasurethetime2463]

Anything in Earl Smith? I can't find anything anywhere. It's like he didn't even exist.

[@reddavis4808]

This documentary is something special.

[@jonathanschroeder510]

That shot @ 0:15 view of the Sears tower from the west side is amazing

[@zshar10]

I always thought there was only one antenna on it when I was younger because of that angle.

[@homecourtstory]

@@zshar10 yes this movie has amazing shots

[@karmatt3098]

I’d love to know if he ever got his steak dinner.

[@zmo1ndone502]

Yea.... talk about a picture says a thousand words

[@ccwnoob4393]

1:00 impressive how this guy saw the raw talent and potential in a grammar school kid ... compared to that St J's coach who kept leeching credit off of Isaiah's talent and success.

[@tbfit7808]

It’s not hard. If you love basketball, you can easily spot the best kid at the park and compare to others you’ve seen

[@MrOctober44]

Grammar school is misleading. He just graduated the eighth grade

[@Michelle-ez9hs]

Leeching? He made Isiah Thomas who part of who he is. There’s a reason this dude has the most wins in the State of Illinois HS Basketball History

[@andrews3563]

@@Michelle-ez9hs this guy is out of his mind talking about coach pingatore “leeching” lmao the guy is quite possibly the best coach in hs basketball history

[@treasurethetime2463]

That was creepy. Smith was sharp.

[@shananagans5]

@CeazeThaBeast Both of these kids ended up doing ok in life. Neither one ended up playing pro but they completed college. Wikipedia has an update on their lives.

[@kinggadm1234]

I think they played pro. Just not in a ge league

[@billking1751]

@@kinggadm1234 Yeah i do remember Arthur playing semi pro.

[@dapper892]

Genes “commitment” to Arthur was empty in the end.

[@mikem591]

Coach Pignatore really got it wrong about Arthur. He cut him loose to soon. He would have really helped St Joe’s down the state because he was not only talented but mentally tough. It worked out in the end for Arthur. He might have actually been better off going back to the inner city school where he ended up helping his team go deep into the state tournament and eventually playing for a Division I school.

[@fredi377]

I agree!

[@laminage]

Yes. He also should remember that Arthur didn't have any real "Lifeskill Lessons". He didn't even ask about his Academic Standing and when he and William went to St. Joseph's they were Four Years behind. Forgive me, but is it true that Chicago's Inner City School System is bad.

[@MrOctober44]

@@laminage Is any inner city a good school?

[@back2the80s]

Terrible coach hairstyle. Looks like a wig

[@zzzaccounting5924]

Arthur was never going to make it at Joes. Ping let him know that before he agree to go there that books were first. If he made the grade, there were no limits. Joes was not an easy school. A senior at Marshall is learning what a St. Joes student learned as a sophomore.

[@MrBEasy24]

This movie use to be free, now youtube charges you to watch it.

[@theartlessdodger]

Try iPlayer, watched it there yday

[@jongon0848]

It's on HBO Max now.

[@DannyStrien]

KZbin changed a lot, all about the Benjamin’s these days

[@ryankramer]

All of their free movies are temp free. Terminator & Ghost in the Shell were free too but are back to pay. There's a lot of them like that. It's a weird pattern that I can't figure out on how long it lasts.

[@EJD339]

Yeah, but do the people in the documentary get royalties? If so, I’d don’t mind paying it in this case. I understand where you’re coming from

[@texaswunderkind]

I was thrilled to read that St. Joseph's had closed its doors forever. The diocese decided it wasn't financially sustainable, which is hilarious and ironic. After how the coach and school took advantage of those inner-city kids, made all sorts of promises, and then withheld Arthur's transcript while extorting money out of his broke family. I say good riddance to the whole stinking mess.

[@warrengodfrey7459]

Dam I wish Arthur and William could have played on the same team ,that coach was not patient enough Arthur was good he was just a late bloomer

[@Lundahlium]

A real coach develops his own players, doesn't go out and recruit them.

[@rcg9573]

Agreed. Pingatore is a great example of the corruption of the entire system. Using their school resources to buy kids from junior high on so they can win basketball games to keep their jobs. There are literally 1,000 Pingatore’s out there doing the same thing today. Pingatore and his ilk = all leeches

[@texaswunderkind]

@@rcg9573 As college basketball has become such big money, the scouts and camps have gotten just that much more corrupt. The top players have all sorts of leeches hanging on, trying to get a piece of the action.

[@goldbrick2563]

0:46 always wondered why Earl was wearing a Mets cap in Chicago? Whats the deal?

[@Stanlayy-em4fk]

Isiah was there that day too.

[@darrylnelson05]

We had the Fab 5 plus Arthur and William.

[@chefcook09]

Who’s here after hearing the news that St. Joseph is closed?

[@texaswunderkind]

I'm celebrating its closure. Maybe there is some justice in the world.

[@laminage]

Steak Restaurants in Chicago I heard are out of this world.

[@krakenwoodfloorservicemcma5975]

all types of great food in Chicago.

[@laminage]

@@krakenwoodfloorservicemcma5975 I believe you. Chicago has such a Rich History. Chess Records, The Regal Theater, Ebony Magazine, Soul Train (In it's early days), and so many other fun things.

[@bvalenz]

🇮🇹 restaurants also

[@pricey9225]

I went to joes back in 1991-1992

[@fugyaself2133]

My advice if you guy the air Jordan's path is to realize even only a fraction of the fractions get paid. Secondly if you are the tallest kid outchere than play center and dont bich, but keep in mind you dont want to end up a 6' 3" center.

[@CeazeThaBeast]

whatever happened to him

[@themaze45]

Won the city championship his senior year...lost in the state championship...then played at Arkansas St. in college

[@zmo1ndone502]

Telling u NOT many things are as valuable in basketbal as a "Quick first step" Basically the same as acceleration in football. Its not always how fast you are at top speed but how quickly u can reach top speed

[@jamesjonesrocket]

i think you're wrong mate, teachers are in charge of academic standings, people like earl jones are concerned about basketball because it's what they do.

[@mikem591]

Earl was sort of painted as a bad guy based on what happened to Arthur. He actually saw Arthur’s potential and wanted to help him. He was doing work for the school, but he had a good eye for talent. Had Penagator saw what Earl saw, I don’t think he would have let Arthur go.

[@joshperkins5860]

Is this not illegal recruiting

[@peterhamouroudis7467]

Private school. Can do whatever they want!

[@fade2black1982]

The business of basketball has been in play for years and years

[@5280Misfit]

I loved this book in highschool

[@jacobadrian1115]

And now Joe's is closing :((((

[@flipcritic]

RIP Gene Pingatore.

[@80sfreak42]

Oh shit....just saw your comment didnt know he checked out...rip gene pingatore

[@pjdavis5576]

u hear guy playing n the background

[@joseacastillo7986]

Coach ping was selfish and trying to get gates to play like Zeke and Arthur was a better player than gates . If i had a son i wouldn't want him to play for coach ping

[@Theterminato2013]

Luther Bedford>Gene Pingatore

[@ManhattanProject9]

FACTS!!!!!!

[@kinggadm1234]

William gates was a problem. Arthur was as well, but gates would have been in the league for sure if not for bad knees and coming up at a time with better medicine.

[@MrOctober44]

I'm sure he'd be better off with today's technology but I think it was more that he came back to quick.

[@billking1751]

@@MrOctober44 Very true.

[@laminage]

As far as I'm concerned, Earl Jones is a "Pimp" to these Schools and take advantage of the children. Don't you notice that they are more interested in their Basketball Prowess than their Academic Standing.

[@spunkhead]

laminage earl smith and yes he was a scumbag

[@laminage]

It's a bit different but it reminds me of these Guys who create Boy Bands, many of which come from Low Income Housing Projects where they don't have much and exploit them. If they can sing and bring in Dollars great but they don't care about The Boys once the Fame ends. If you want to see an amazing Music Documentary from The UK check out The Big Reunion where they do profiles on Boy Bands/Girl Groups from the late 1990's/2000's and how their lives were just as hard after they made it and how their lives changed after their celebrity ended.

[@maniacmasturbator2411]

C. Griff pingatore came across as a dickhead in the movie. Curtis came across as really unlikeable as well. For whatever it’s worth, William had a much better relationship with Ping as he got older and William’s son went to St Joe for a couple years and played under Ping. Isiah Thomas speaks well of Ping. And William said there were a lot of good things about Curtis that weren’t shown in the doc.

[@whayes8084]

You either used or you’re useless.

[@laminage]

@@DCOM20. You got that right! Did you ever see The Big Boy Con about Lou Pearlman. He was a "sicko!" Or The Big Reunion A UK Documentary about how some Boyband/Girlband Icons reunite for a Show and talk about what their lives were like "after" Fame. Some do well as Solo Artists, they Do The West End (Broadway), or Reality TV. Others become addicts, alcoholics, prisoners, and even Homeless.

[@spunkhead]

arthur was a late bloomer born in 1972, william was born in 1971 which is why he was taller and dunking in 8th grade, arthur couldnt dunk until 10th grade. curtis gates was better than jordan but he didnt like to follow rules or go to class...sucks cause he was player of the decade in the 80s, when he played at colby community college in kansas.

[@80sfreak42]

Yeah curtis had hops and was a scorer for barely being 6'1" he could fly....he had good stats in high school and college but didn't like to follow rules even his mom said it in the movie...

[@TheRoamer78]

Domini478 my man you got me 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@adrielmoody]

@Domini478 Maybe he meant better in high school? Because there are plenty of people who were better than Mike in high school.

[@joegibbskins]

Domini478 thinking Curtis was better at basketball than Jordan is one of the funniest hot takes I’ve ever seen

[@Lundahlium]

@@adrielmoody Mike wasn't even on the team in high-school! His coach bullied him.

[@rcg9573]

St Joe’s coach = leech

[@texaswunderkind]

Huge sucking leach. My skin crawls every time he's on screen.

[@Mon3yBoyzMafia]

I heard Curtis gates was murdered because he made a pass at another dude. Watch the film closely I'm almost positive he was a homosexual. I wonder if William knew about it?

[@texaswunderkind]

He was shot during a dispute over a woman. Don't slander a dead man who can't defend himself.

[@ManhattanProject9]

He was murdered for having an extra-marital affair with a married woman. The husband of the woman he was in bed with killed him in broad daylight after he tried to flee the house.

[@Luke-kg7vu]

He was caught up in a love triangle