Lash Chance U: Basketball Documentary Review: A Must Watch!
Last Chance U: Basketball is a multi-episode Netflix documentary about East LA College’s 2019-2020 basketball team. I was absolutely blown away by how much I loved this series. It tells the story of an inspiring coach, John Mosley, as he gears up his team for the state championships. Along the way, we get a lot of background on individual members of the basketball team like Joe Hampton, Deshawn Hiley, KJ Allen, and Malik Mohammed. As ELAC is a junior college, there’s a big focus on how playing basketball and being on this team can be the ticket for them to get scholarships that they otherwise would never be able to get. Coach Mosley is so passionate about his work because he knows how high the stakes are for these kids and their futures. A lot of the people on the team are overcoming difficult pasts and fighting inner demons, for instance, growing up in the hood, losing their parents, or having been incarcerated in the past. Getting to know every single member of the basketball team and how they are working to overcome adversity was an absolute joy to watch.
I think this documentary is a crowd-pleaser because it has everything you could possibly want in a story - the excitement of competitive sports, the emotional backstories, the redemption arcs, and the general spirit of empowerment. At the heart of the story, you have Coach Mosley, who is extremely inspiring to watch. He has many moments during training where he’s yelling and screaming at the top of his lungs to push the team to work harder and train better. However, beyond that, you see how much he cares about his players through the way he talks to them and gives them opportunities to be better people/teammates. At multiple points in the show, players get frustrated, act out, and make poor decisions. You can tell how Coach Mosley is human and gets frustrated as well, but at the end of the day, he will always be on their side and will do his best to train them to manage their negative behaviors. He prays for them, puts himself in their shoes, and recognizes how much trauma they went through that could be the cause for their emotional spirals. I can’t get over how inspiring it is to see such a dedicated mentor and teacher who truly cares and believes in his team.
In addition to Coach Mosley, the entire basketball team is so fun to watch. Coach Ken and Coach Rob are so amazing and do so much for the team, despite the fact that junior colleges have funding issues and assistant coaches are making serious financial sacrifices by even coming to work every day. It’s also so interesting to see the dynamics of junior college basketball. These students are basically only in this college for 2 years, and because of that, building team camaraderie and excellence can be challenging. But it’s clear that this 2019-2020 team had something truly special. I got emotional in the last episode because I grew attached to this team and I wished that it would never end. But I’m so grateful that this documentary was able to capture the journey of such a fantastic group.
In conclusion…
Last Chance U: Basketball is probably one of the best documentaries I have watched so far this year. If you have any affinity towards documentaries or enjoy sports, I think this is a must watch! Watching the growth of this team and getting to know its members on a very personal level will warm your heart.