Steve James’s landmark 1994 documentary follows the early careers of Arthur Agee, Jr., and William Gates, two black teenagers from inner-city Chicago who were recruited to play for the renowned basketball team at St. Joseph’s, a predominantly white suburban prep school. The boys face enormous obstacles—poverty, racism, and early parenthood—and their experiences diverge almost completely even as they both chase the same dream: to make it to the NBA.  Compiled from over 250 hours of footage shot over the course of five years, Hoop Dreams follows Arthur and William through their freshman year in college as, despite the mounting odds, they cling to their hopes. With its unflinching portrait of inner-city life, Hoop Dreams is as much a social commentary on class privilege and race division as it is a film about basketball. To this day, the film presents audiences with a riveting deconstruction of the American Dream. LRB