Best Shot

This documentary series offers an honest look into the lives of young black inner-city high school basketball players who have the odds stacked against them. Jay Williams, along with the team's coach, works hard to keep the teens focused on their studies and playing the game, all the while reminding them that playing the game well is their best shot at getting an education and improving their lives. But while you see the adults' affection and concern for the students, you can also appreciate their sense of frustration when the players don't meet expectations, or when they fall prey to the pressures imposed by absentee parents, street violence, drug gangs, and poverty.

There are no guaranteed success stories here. Some viewers may be disturbed by the amount of pressure that parents, relatives, and friends place on these teens to become professional ball players in order to financially help them. Nonetheless, Best Shot's overall messages are good ones. It constantly reinforces the idea that it is important to look beyond the difficulties one faces in life by committing yourself to a goal that can lead to something positive. It also underscores the role of mentors in this process. People who aren't basketball fans may find Best Shot a little slow, but folks who enjoy the game will find it interesting, if not inspiring.