Skingames

In 1994, film director Steve James introduced the world to his documentary “Hoop Dreams.” The film follows two inner-city teenagers on the courts of Chicago, who dream of playing professional basketball. Those same dreams are explored right here in Canada in “Skingames”, as the NBA dream is now one step closer since 1995 expansion agreement that welcomed the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies as the 28th and 29th teams to the NBA. With the changing demographics and the NBA presence in Canada comes growing concerns that thousands of black kids are being drawn away from the classroom and toward the playing field and courts. Many of them, living for the day when they’ll sign their first pro contract, are spending countless hours working on their game with little thought to their future when their playing days are finished. The students in the documentary “Skingames” reveal that they are recognized as outstanding participants, but their academic involvement is often viewed suspiciously. This prevailing attitude cannot be attributed solely to the games participants, nor to the schools. It is a reflection of society in general.