“People always say to me, ‘when you get to the NBA, don’t forget about me’. Well, I should’ve said back, ‘if I don’t make it to the NBA, don’t you forget about me’.”—William Gates
Remember Arthur Agee and Gates? I don't think hoop fans forgot about them.
(via Ben York)
Gates now has a son who plays at St. Joseph High School, and is still married to the young woman he had a child with in the film. Education is the No. 1 priority for Gates as he continues to set a better example for his children than his father did.
Agee is returning to Tucson in a couple months to screen his follow-up to Hoop Dreams called Hoop Reality. This time, Agee serves as a mentor to a young prodigy at his former high school. The film’s tone and message remains the same – youth with dreams of playing professional basketball have to develop a back-up plan.
Check out the excerpts below in an article from SLAM magazine or read full story here."Fifteen years ago, a landmark documentary changed the way we viewed the proverbial dream many children have of playing professional basketball. As with millions of youth across the globe, Arthur Agee and William Gates dreamt of one day playing in the NBA; the only difference with them and others is they were actually gifted enough to make it there. Growing up in the inner-city of Chicago, Agee and Gates were recruited early on to play high school basketball at a suburban prep school. Immediately, they found that their dreams of playing in the NBA would come at a much higher price than they originally thought. Academics, money, family troubles, and politics were just some of the newfound barriers they would have to face. Throughout it all, they never lost faith in basketball, and in doing so captured the collective hearts of moviegoers everywhere. Never before had a film given us a glimpse of this journey as it was actually occurring."
"Today, Agee and Gates are exactly how you would imagine them and are an extension of what they were in the film. Arthur Agee’s kind-hearted nature and friendly personality is both unmistakable and infectious. His passion for inspiring kids to make the most out of life is refreshing and awe-inspiring at the same time. William Gates is still soft-spoken, but his genuineness and warmth translates very well into his current career – pastor at Living Faith Community Church in Chicago. The bond they shared many years ago is still evident today, perhaps even stronger."
Although Agee and Gates never made it to the NBA, their story has caused millions of people to take a second look at their own life. What happens if I get injured before getting a college scholarship? What if I don’t make it? How can I best position myself for success?
