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By: Elliott Osgood 5/13/26
Rez Ball is a relatively new movie that came out on September 27, 2024. It got a 6.4/10 on IMDB. Rez Ball is a “freshman on the junior varsity (JV) basketball team, watches the varsity regional championship game with his parents and best friends, Wes and Nate. The Red Lake Warriors play against Bemidji High School for their first-ever win in the state tournament.” Said Supersummary. It isn't only basketball; it has real-life situations that young high schoolers go through, and it is one of the best sports movies.
Rez ball (short for reservation ball) is a fast-paced, high-intensity style of basketball played in Native America. This whole movie was based on true events and is a Netflix sports drama directed by Sydney Freeland that portrays the high-stakes, fast-paced basketball culture within Navajo Nation communities in New Mexico. It follows the Chuska Warriors, who, after losing their star player, must unite to chase a state championship, highlighting themes of grief, community, and cultural identity. With the help of head coach Heather Hobbs, Jimmy and the Chuska Warriors became a team, won the state championship, and honored Nataanii's legacy. The team actually used their native languages to make plays and confuse rivals.
At the start of the movie, two friends are having a good life. They are playing basketball and miss the bus. They go to school, and everyone is giving high fives and following them because they are the best on the basketball team. The main character's best friend is the best player on the basketball team. Their coach, a former WNBA player, recently broke up with her girlfriend and is being doubted because she is coaching the boys' basketball team. They win the first game, but the best friend's sister and mother died in a car crash, and he is being asked about it by a journalist. The next game, they are against the seed team, and the best friend is missing. They get destroyed and see the police in the stadium. In the locker room, the coach comes in and tells them that their best friend killed himself.
After the death, the coach goes to the main character's house to comfort him. Later, his mom comes out and says that native Americans always find a way to lose. The coach goes to her old coach, who led them to multiple championships. She asks for help, and the old coach becomes her assistant coach. He does a ritual, and then they do a scrimmage against the girls' team. The boys think they're going to win, but the girls destroy them. The coach explains that they were playing “Rez Ball,” a playing style where they shoot the ball in at least 7 seconds. The coach then teaches them rez ball.
Rez Ball is a free movie on the official Netflix website. There is also a book about it that you can buy on Amazon. Rez Ball was a top performer back in November 2024, placing #3 in the top movies in the U.S.A. It was also ranked #10 globally! The book has won many awards and honors, establishing itself as a celebrated young adult novel.
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