When Timothée Chalamet sat down with LeBron James and Steve Nash on the Mind the Game podcast recently, the conversation didn’t revolve around Hollywood glitz or NBA finals strategy.
Instead, Chalamet offered a striking glimpse into how a basketball documentary from 2009, More Than a Game, left a deep mark on him long before he became an Oscar-nominated actor.
The film chronicles a young James and his St. Vincent-St. Mary High School teammates as they chase a national championship amid fame, friendship, and adversity. Directed by Kristopher Belman, it follows James alongside Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton, and Willie McGee during one of the most celebrated high school basketball runs in history.
The movie resonated with a young Chalamet, who grew up dreaming of athletic success. Speaking candidly on the podcast, he traced his own ambition back to what he saw on screen.
“You know, majorly ambitious as a New York youth to find athletic greatness the way these two men next to me found it,” he said, referring to James and Nash seated next to him.
“I had that aspiration, that Jose Alvarado, whatever you want to call it, that kind of big dream mentality. But really, More Than a Game, the 2009 documentary about LeBron in high school and his classmates, his best friends. That was hugely impactful for me, man. That’s the life I aspired to have. I didn’t find it in athleticism, but I was able to find it in acting.”
For many who watched More Than a Game when it first released, it was a straightforward sports story about youthful promise and the bonds that help elevate raw talent.
But for Chalamet, it became a mirror in which he saw a version of the drive he wanted to bring to his own craft. The documentary didn’t turn him into a ballplayer. It helped him understand the type of dedication and mindset he needed to succeed off the court.
Why the NBA documentary still matters
Though the movie came out more than a decade ago, its themes continue to strike chords beyond basketball circles.
With a roughly 70 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, critics praised its heartfelt look at friendship and perseverance, even if it wasn’t hailed as a groundbreaking documentary.
The film’s appeal isn’t just in its oncourt action. It captures the tension of teenage stardom, the pressure of expectations, and the personal sacrifices that come with striving for greatness, elements that resonate with anyone chasing a dream, whether in sports or the arts.
For James, whose NBA career has spanned more than two decades with multiple championships and MVP awards, More Than a Game offers a rare window into his formative years.
Its reach now extends even further when those early scenes inspire someone from a completely different world to reflect on their own goals.
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