Love and Basketball is more than just a tale about, well, love and basketball. Those who see the just the surface level story may think it's the most basic love story of the 90s, however; as I have gotten older I have picked up a few dynamics and messages from the move that makes it oh so much more than the name.
1. The focus is more on the black female basketball player than the male.
In the movie, Monica's growing pains are at the forefront, even though her Quincy is the star basketball player, in the end it is Monica who makes it to the pros as a Star. Women's basketball is overlooked and underpaid until this day, and to see Monica's struggles through high school and in college, from jealous teammates to her trying to balance her career and her man, added to the gratitude I had from seeing her get the guy and her career in the end. She dealt with what a lot of college women deal with where she was just trying to find her place in her school and in her relationship. She wanted to be there for Quincy, but she wanted to be there for herself as well. It can be hard to decide who to choose when you want to be able to have both.
2. We get to see the beautiful relationship between sisters.
Monica's sister, Lisa, was a big supporter of Monica throughout her high school years, and we get to see a little of that blossom through college. It was refreshing, even in the 90s, to see two sisters sitting on the floor doing each other's hair and supporting each other in the basketball stands. It really showed the dynamic of black sisterly love, which was unconditional and always there to tell you the truth when you need to hear it.
3. The dynamics of the difficult relationship between parents and children.
As I have gotten older the struggle of relationships between Quincy and his dad, and Monica and her mom, hit home to this day. The infamous "Oh no! Are they cussing at mamas in Spain!?" is unforgettable and funny, but it is a real struggle of a relationship between Monica and her mom. It reminds me of me and my dad, and I can understand how Monica feels when she tells her mom how much it mattered for her to be at her games without the criticism, just be there.
We also get to see Quincy and his dad struggle with their relationship, from Quincy thinking his dad is a hero, to him finding out he's everything but that. We get to see how that takes a toll on his life and him making an impulsive decision to join the NBA to him self-sabotaging his and Monica's relationship. So often we have to deal with a lot even as young people in college, and it can be hard to process everything. I have seen family struggles at home completely break people down, and cause confusion that leads to bad decisions. Quincy was no different and I'm glad we got to see the emotional side of things, and how parents' actions can really impact their children.
4. "If you love something let it go, and if it comes back it's yours if it doesn't then it never was."
Although Quincy's cheating and him breaking up with Monica was hard to watch, things like this happen a lot. People break up all the time, and especially during those precious college years when you are learning who you are. I believe that if you really love someone it is best to let them go, and continue finding who you are and if it's meant to be it will be. Monica fought until the last second to get Quincy back, and she was going to reluctantly step away from the relationship if he would have let her lose their infamous one-on-one game for his heart. This just shows that real love never just dies, it takes work and it may wander, but it never dies.
5. Never, ever give up on your dreams.
Quincy was the man of her dreams, but basketball was the love of her life and Monica fought so hard to reach her dreams in this movie. She struggled to find her way through college ball, and her hard work paid off with taking the starting spot from a senior veteran, Sidra. Monica went overseas, where a lot of basketball players either get their start or get their finish. Monica took a break from basketball because it was no fun anymore without Quincy, and she had to admit that because we all know how much she loved the game. She went through a breakup with basketball that even though she did not give up on her dreams, her dreams just included her man too. She fought for both until the very end, and although she did not end up in the NBA because of some technicalities, she did end up in the WNBA with a beautiful baby girl might I add. Dreams accomplished.
It leaves to say, whatever your dreams are, never give up on them, you could be right at that breaking point and if you give up you will never know what could have been. Never live with regret, only with "I did that". Love and basketball is more than just the movie about two young ballplayers falling in love, and the infidelity that comes through it, I always catch a new underlying storyline. Give it a watch again, and you might catch a few of your own.
