It’s not an exaggeration to say that cinema and sport share a strange little bridge. They both are arenas where people chase impossible versions of themselves. Actor Timothée Chalamet recently talked about that idea while sitting down with LeBron James and Steve Nash on the Mind the Game podcast.
During the conversation, Chalamet opened up about how James’ famous documentary ‘More Than a Game’ shaped his own ambitions while growing up in New York.
Timothée Chalamet Reflects on LeBron James Documentary That Inspired Him
Speaking on the podcast, Chalamet explained that the film left a lasting impression on him during his teenage years. Growing up in New York City, he dreamed of achieving greatness through sports before eventually finding his path in acting.
He described how watching the documentary pushed him to think bigger about his own life.
“That was exactly it. You know, majorly ambitious as a New York youth to find athletic greatness the way these two men next to me found it. I never found it in my own life. But I had that aspiration, that Jose Alvarado, whatever you want to call it, that kind of big dream mentality.
LeBron, his whole career, but more than a game. A 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.”
The documentary follows James during his high school days at St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. Directed by Kristopher Belman, the film traces the journey of James and his close friends and teammates — Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton, and Willie McGee, as they rise from youth basketball to national attention.
Released in 2009, the 105-minute film captures the strong bond between the players and their coach, Dru Joyce II. It also shows some of the challenges the team faced along the way, including the famous jersey scandal that briefly sidelined James during his senior year. The story builds toward their push for a national title and highlights the friendship that stayed intact even as fame arrived.
The film earned solid reviews and boasts a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It still stands as one of the most personal looks at James’ early career. Today, the four-time NBA champion is playing deep into his third decade in the league, now in his 23rd season, while continuing to shape the modern NBA.
For Chalamet, the connection to basketball goes beyond just admiration for James. The actor, known for films like Dune, has long been a devoted fan of the New York Knicks. He grew up watching the team and has become a regular courtside presence at Madison Square Garden.
Chalamet even recalled attending James’ first game with the Miami Heat in New York years ago, a moment that stuck with him as a young basketball fan.
While he never pursued sports professionally, the mindset he admired in James found a different outlet. Instead of the hardwood, Chalamet carried that same energy into Hollywood, where he has become one of the most recognizable actors of his generation.
Chalamet’s love for sports has even carried into his acting career. In his 2025 sports drama, Marty Supreme, he portrayed table tennis legend Marty Mauser and his rise in the 1950s competitive scene.
