Netflix's new basketball movie tells the underdog story of an international prospect, but is Hustle a true story? Starring Adam Sandler as Stanley Sugerman, the basketball film follows his character, who is a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers. After years of traveling and grinding to reach his dream of being an NBA coach, Stanley's future appears to change after discovering a potentially generational talent in Bo Cruz. It is from here that Hustle embarks on a story of Bo Cruz's path to trying to be drafted.
The world that Hustle takes place in is very much set in the real world. Adam Sandler's comedy/drama movie has NBA players and coaches who appear throughout, while there are also plenty of other real-life organizations and people who are involved. For as common as sports movies are in Hollywood, they can often blend fact and fiction together. Adam Sandler is no stranger to this genre, and even his 2005 remake of The Longest Yard is partially based on a true story. His return to sports movies for Netflix's Hustle might leave viewers confused about if the film is based on a real-life story.
Thanks to the inspirational underdog story and a plethora of NBA player cameos, the questions about what inspired Hustle's story are understandable. There are plenty of international basketball players in the NBA who found success and came from a difficult upbringing. However, the truth is that Hustle is not based on a true story. The story of Bo Cruz is an original creation of writers Taylor Materne and Will Fetters. Despite the fictional story and main characters, the rest of Hustle is quite real.
Netflix's Hustle Is Fictional (But Features Real NBA Players)
Stanley Sugerman and Bo Cruz might not be real people who had this great bond and journey to achieve their NBA dreams, but the movie's realism is improved by everything that surrounds them. Netflix's Hustle movie populates its world with real NBA players, coaches, analysts, and personalities. This ranges from Tobias Harris and other members of the Philadelphia 76ers appearing throughout, as well as cameos from Dirk Nowitzki, Luka Dončić, and Shaquille O'Neal.
Where Adam Sandler's Hustle and its place in the "real world" gets a bit more fictional, though, is through casting some NBA players as people other than themselves. Hustle's cast sees Juancho Hernangómez play Bo Cruz, Anthony Edwards play Kermit Wilks, and Moe Wagner play Haas - despite all three of them being active NBA players (not new draft prospects) in reality. The casting of Kenny Smith as Leon Rich breaks the illusion a bit more, especially when his Inside the NBA partners appear later on without him on the broadcast. And that is all without considering the differences in the Philadelphia 76ers' front office and management. Hustle might not be based on a true story, but using real NBA players certainly helped.