*Culture, legacy, and representation took center stage as Hollywood gathered for 25 Years of Love & Basketball: A Cultural Tribute + Conversation at the elegant The Maybourne Beverly Hills.
The afternoon celebration marked the 25th anniversary of Love & Basketball and simultaneously launched the 2026 season of the HBCU First LOOK Film Festival during NBA All-Star Week. The event honored the film’s lasting influence on women in sports, storytelling, and representation — and judging by the room, its cultural ripple effect is still very much alive.
Presented by CNN, TNT Sports, Black Girl Vitamins, OWN, and Visit East Point, the event featured a reception followed by a live panel titled “25 Years of Love & Basketball: A Celebration of Women in Sports.”
The panel was moderated by CNN’s Laura Coates and included director Gina Prince-Bythewood, actress Sanaa Lathan, trailblazer Jayne Kennedy, (author of her memoir “Plain Jayne“), and broadcaster Cari Champion.
Women’s basketball legends Cheryl Miller and Candace Parker were also in attendance, both sharing how the “Love and Basketball” character Monica Wright made them feel seen — not just as athletes, but as multidimensional women navigating ambition, love, and identity. Each reflected on how rare it was to witness such an emotionally honest portrayal of a woman competitor at the time of the film’s release.
Cari Champion took a moment to honor Jayne Kennedy for paving the way for every woman on that stage, while also acknowledging journalist and cultural commentator Jemele Hill, who was seated in the audience, for continuing to push meaningful conversations around sports and representation.
One of the most vulnerable moments of the afternoon came when Sanaa Lathan revealed she felt intense pressure stepping into the role — especially knowing Love & Basketball marked Gina Prince-Bythewood’s first time directing. Sanaa openly admitted she couldn’t really play basketball and shared how determined she was not to let Gina down.
Love & Basketball has always been about more than romance. It’s about choosing purpose, pushing past doubt, and finding your voice in spaces that don’t always make room for you.
The HBCU First LOOK Film Festival carries that same mission forward. The curated platform amplifies filmmakers from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with its 2026 festival returning to Howard University in Washington, DC, November 5–7, connecting emerging creatives with industry leaders.
Twenty-five years later, Monica Wright still resonates — not as nostalgia, but as a blueprint.
And as pioneers, present-day icons, and future storytellers shared space inside The Maybourne, one thing was clear:
Love & Basketball didn’t just change the game. It expanded.
