He Got Game

He Got Game is a 1998 American sports drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Denzel Washington as Jake Shuttlesworth, a prison inmate convicted for killing his wife. He is also the father of the top-ranked basketball prospect in the country, Jesus Shuttlesworth, played by NBA star Ray Allen. Jake is released on parole for a week by the state's governor to persuade his son to play for the governor's alma mater, in exchange for a much reduced prison sentence. This is the third of four film collaborations with Washington and Lee.

Plot

Jesus Shuttlesworth, the top basketball player in the nation, is being pursued by the top college basketball programs in the nation. His father, Jake (Denzel Washington), is a convicted felon serving time at Attica Correctional Facility for accidentally killing his wife (Jesus' mother) by pushing her while arguing with Jesus at the age of 12. The father is temporarily released by the governor, an influential alum of "Big State," one of the colleges Jesus is considering, so that he might persuade his son to sign with the governor's college; if successful he'll get an early release from prison.